Egeria, Journey to the Holy Land 2503592813, 9782503592817

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Brepols Library of Christian Sources Patristic and Medieval Texts with English Translations The cry ‘ad fontes!’ has been a constant among theologians of every variety since the mid-twentieth century. This is no simple process. Each generation needs to engage with the ancient and medieval sources afresh in a great act of cultural, intellectual, and linguistic translation. More than reproducing an historical artefact or transferring it into a new linguistic code, it requires engaging in a dialogue with the text. One dialogical pole is to acknowledge the inherited text’s distance from us by reading it in its original language, the other is to explore what it says within our world and language. Here the facing-pages of text and translation express this. These editions respect the original context by providing the best currently available Greek or Latin text, while the task of stating what it says today is found alongside it in the translation and in the notes and commentaries. The process testifies to the living nature of these texts within traditions. Each volume represents our generation’s attempt to restate the source in our language, cognisant that English is now the most widely used language among theologians either as their first language or their adopted language for scholarly communication.

Brepols Library of Christian Sources Patristic and Medieval Texts with English Translations

1 EDITORIAL BOARD Professor Thomas O’Loughlin, Director Dr Andreas Andreopoulos Professor Lewis Ayres Dr Lavinia Cerioni Professor Hugh Houghton Professor Doug Lee Professor Joseph Lössl Dr Elena Narinskaya Dr Sara Parks

Egeria, Journey to the Holy Land

Edited and translated by Paul F. Bradshaw With the assistance of Anne McGowan

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Cover image: Ebstorf mappa mundi © Kloster Ebstorf. Used with permission. The English translation was originally published by Liturgical Press, Saint John’s Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota 56321, U.S.A., and is published in this edition by license of Liturgical Press. All rights reserved. © 2020, Brepols Publishers n. v., Turnhout, Belgium. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. D/2020/0095/327 ISBN 978-2-503-59281-7 eISBN 978-2-503-59282-4 DOI 10.1484/M.BLCS-EB.5.122047 Printed in the EU on acid-free paper.

Table of Contents

Preface7 Introduction9 Text and Translation 13 Notes99 Appendix103 Bibliography117 Index of Biblical References 119 Index of Modern Authors 121 Index of English Names of Persons and Places 122

Preface

The Latin text of the Itinerarium adopted here is that of E. Franceschini and R. Weber (1965, CCSL 175), 27–90, any questions concerning particular variant readings being addressed in the Notes. The English translation is adapted from A. McGowan and P. F. Bradshaw, The Pilgrimage of Egeria: A New Translation of the Itinerarium Egeriae with Introduction and Commentary (Alcuin Club Collections 93), Collegeville, 2018, which sought to be more literal than other translations. I am enormously grateful to my co-author for her work on that original, and also for assistance towards this version. Needless to say, readers will gain further advantage by consulting the apparatus criticus of the Corpus Christianorum edition, and from the introduction and commentary included in The Pilgrimage of Egeria. Paul F. Bradshaw

Introduction

The Manuscript Only one incomplete eleventh-century manuscript preserves this account of a Western European woman’s journey to the Holy Land and surrounding region, although eleven short quotations from the text surfaced in a ninth-century manuscript from Toledo in 1909 and two further fragments were published in 2005.1 It is bound together with some works of Hilary of Poitiers (De mysteriis and fragments of a hymnal) in Codex Aretinus 405, and was once housed in the library at the Benedictine Monastery of Monte Cassino before finding its way to the library of the Pia Fraternità dei Laici in Arezzo, Italy sometime after 1532. It was rediscovered in the modern era by the Italian historian and archaeologist G. F. Gamurrini in 1884, who published it in 1887, and again in a corrected version in 1888. Since then there have been a number of further editions and translations into several languages. The work carries no indication of its title, if there ever were one, nor of its author, nor any explicit reference to her place of origin or the date of the journey. It falls into two distinct halves, the first being a travel diary proper (chapters 1–23), the second a detailed description by the same author of the daily services and liturgical year at Jerusalem (24–49). The abruptness of the transition between the two parts, together with the second half being out of the chronological sequence of the journeying, suggests that they were originally separate documents that were united by someone else. As it stands, the manuscript is made up of three quires or quaternions (gatherings of four folded sheets forming eight folios or sixteen pages), which would originally have resulted in a total of forty-eight pages. Unfortunately, however, the middle of the three has lost its outer sheet, reducing it to six folios or twelve pages. This accounts for the two major breaks in the text, between 16.4 and 16.5 and within 25.6. In addition, the beginning and end of the document are obviously missing. If the extant manuscript did once have another complete quaternion preceding it, quite a substantial part of the original could be lacking. It is quite possible that some account of the author’s journey from home to Constantinople and then to Jerusalem, with a more extensive description of the city, occupied the beginning of the original text. Some sense of part of what was there can be gleaned from apparent citations found in Peter the Deacon, Liber de locis sanctis of 1137, although it is not always simple to identify the precise passages drawn from this source.2 On the other hand, what might



1 See Appendix A, 104-06, below. 2 Weber (1965, CCSL 175), 91–103. See also McGowan and Bradshaw (2018), 16–17.

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have comprised the conclusion of the manuscript is unclear, as the author seems to have nearly finished her description of the liturgical year at Jerusalem at the point where the extant manuscript breaks off in mid-sentence.

The Identity of the Author Gamurrini put forward the hypothesis that the author was Silvia of Aquitaine (330–406), based on a reference to a woman named Silvania mentioned in the Lausiac History of Palladius as someone who went with him to Egypt c. 388.3 Silvania was the sister-in-law of Flavius Rufinus, which would have given her imperial connections by association, since Rufinus was a prefect of Theodosius I, emperor from 379 to 395. Another early theory connected the document to Galla Placidia (388–450), a woman with even more direct imperial connections as the daughter of Theodosius I and Galla and the sister of Honorius and Arcadius.4 The third prominent candidate was the sanctimonialis (‘holy’ or ‘religious’ person) who was the subject of a letter written by a Spanish monk Valerius of Bierzo (or Vierzo) to his fellow monks at a Galician monastery toward the end of the seventh century for their spiritual edification.5 Férotin (1903) was the first to identify the ‘most blessed Egeria’ named in the opening lines of the letter with the author of the travel diary, a conclusion accepted as virtually certain today. Manuscript copies of Valerius’s letter present her name in various ways, including Etheria (Aetheria), Echeria, Eiheria (Aeiheria), and Egeria. Convinced that ‘Egeria’ must have resulted from a scribal conflation of Aetheria (or Etheria), a name attested in Spain and Gaul, with Egeria the Roman nymph, Férotin presented the woman’s name as ‘Etheria’, even though this spelling occurs only once in one manuscript. The oldest manuscripts favour the spelling ‘Egeria’, and this is the version that most scholars have settled on since the middle of the twentieth century. As with her name, so too her likely place of origin has generated multiple theories. Current consensus places her in northwestern Spain, and more specifically in the province of Galicia, typically because of Valerius’s letter. Most of the other theories situate Egeria in some part of France, although Italy and Britain have also been suggested.6

Her Status Speculations about Egeria’s identity are also tied to proposals about whether she was an ascetic and/or monastic woman. Because she speaks of those to whom she



3 Gamurrini was misled by a Latin translation of Palladius that referred to this woman as Silvia and presented her as the imperial minister’s sister. 4 See Kohler (1884). 5 See Appendix B, 107-15, below. 6 See Gingras (1970), 10–11; Sivan (1988); Weber (1990).

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is writing as her ‘revered sisters’ (3.8; 12.7; 20.5), it has often been concluded that she was a member of a religious order, even an abbess. However, the term ‘sisters’ is open to a variety of interpretations: it could designate a natural, biological tie to these other women; it could be a term of endearment recognizing the recipients of her letter as her ‘sisters’ in Christ; or it could be a way to designate fellow members of a more-or-less organized form of communal religious life entered into by a group of women. Nevertheless, the most frequent presumption, rightly or wrongly, is that it does indicate that Egeria was a participant in some form of established religious community.7

The Date of her Journey Internal evidence sets some broad parameters to the possible years of her visit. She was unable to visit Nisibis because it was under Persian control and off limits to Roman visitors (20.12); this makes the year 363, the year that this city fell into Persian hands, the earliest date for this portion of her journeying. On the other hand, she did visit Antioch, staying for a week at one point (22.1), which would not have been possible after 540, the year when the Persians destroyed the city. Scholars have attempted to narrow down these limits based on other references to particular people, places, and liturgical celebrations within the document, coming to various conclusions ranging nearly throughout this whole time period, but largely settling on a date in either the late fourth or early fifth century.8 Devos (1967) calculated that Egeria must have made her Syrian sojourn in the spring of 384, after spending time in Jerusalem for ‘three full years’, as she states (17.1), roughly between 381 and 384, which is now the dating that nearly all scholars accept. She afterwards visited Edessa en route to Constantinople, meeting the three ‘confessor’ bishops of Batanis, Edessa, and Carrhae (19.1; 19.5; 20.2) on her way and arriving at Carrhae on the eve of a local feast commemorating the martyrdom of St Helpidius (April 23 or 24; see 20.5). Those best fitting the description of ‘confessor’ would have been bishops simultaneously only between the years of 381 or 382 and 387. On the assumption that she would have stayed in Jerusalem to celebrate Easter before setting out and with the calculation from her evidence that the journey would have lasted 30 days, Easter must have been relatively early in the year she made this journey to enable her to get to Carrhae by April 23. Between 382 and 386, the only year in which Easter falls in March is 384 (March 24), and it is no earlier than April 5 (in 386) in any of the other years in this range.



7 For arguments for and against this presumption, see McGowan and Bradshaw (2018), 6–12. 8 For an overview of these theories, see Gingras (1970), 12–15; McGowan and Bradshaw (2018), 24–27.

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Text and Translation

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1. 1. … ostendebantur iuxta Scripturas. Interea ambulantes peruenimus ad quendam locum, ubi se tamen montes illi, inter quos ibamus, aperiebant et faciebant uallem infinitam, ingens, planissima et ualde pulchram, et trans uallem apparebat mons sanctus Dei Syna. Hic autem locus, ubi se montes aperiebant, iunctus est cum eo loco, quo sunt Memoriae concupiscentiae. 2. In eo ergo loco cum uenitur, ut tamen commonuerunt deductores sancti illi, qui nobis cum erant, dicentes: ‘Consuetudo est, ut fiat hic oratio ab his qui ueniunt, quando de eo loco primitus uidetur mons Dei’: sicut et nos fecimus. Habebat autem de eo loco ad montem Dei forsitan quattuor milia totum per ualle illa, quam dixi ingens. 2. 1. Vallis autem ipsa ingens est ualde, iacens subter latus montis Dei, quae habet forsitan, quantum potuimus uidentes estimare aut ipsi dicebant, in longo milia passos forsitan sedecim, in lato autem quattuor milia esse appellabant. Ipsam ergo uallem nos trauersare habebamus, ut possimus montem ingredi. 2. Haec est autem uallis ingens et planissima, in qua filii Israhel commorati sunt his diebus, quod sanctus Moyses ascendit in montem Domini et fuit ibi quadraginta diebus et quadraginta noctibus. Haec est autem uallis, in qua factus est uitulus, qui locus usque in hodie ostenditur: nam lapis grandis ibi fixus stat in ipso loco. Haec ergo uallis ipsa est, in cuius capite ille locus est, ubi sanctus Moyses, cum pasceret pecora soceri sui, iterum locutus est ei Deus de rubo in igne. 3. Et quoniam nobis ita erat iter, ut prius montem Dei ascenderemus, qui hinc paret, quia unde ueniebamus melior ascensus erat, et illinc denuo ad illud caput uallis descenderemus, id est ubi rubus erat, quia melior descensus montis Dei erat inde: itaque ergo hoc placuit ut, uisis omnibus quae desiderabamus, descendentes a monte Dei, ubi est rubus ueniremus, et inde totum per mediam uallem ipsam, qua iacet in longo, rediremus ad iter cum hominibus Dei, qui nobis singula loca, quae scripta sunt, per ipsam uallem ostendebant, sicut et factum est. 4. Nobis ergo euntibus ab eo loco, ubi uenientes a Faran feceramus orationem, iter sic fuit, ut per medium transuersaremus caput ipsius uallis et sic plecaremus nos ad montem Dei. 5. Mons autem ipse per giro quidem unus esse uidetur; intus autem quod ingrederis, plures sunt, sed totum mons Dei appellatur; specialis autem ille, in cuius summitate est hic locus, ubi descendit maiestas Dei sicut scriptum est, in medio illorum omnium est.

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1. 1. … *were shown according to the Scriptures. Meanwhile, as we journeyed, we arrived at a certain place where the mountains through which we were going opened up and made an immense valley, huge, very flat, and quite beautiful, and across the valley appeared the holy mountain of God, Sinai. This place where the mountains opened up is next to that place in which are the Graves of Lust.1 2. When we came into that place, those holy guides who were with us reminded us, saying, ‘The custom is that prayer should be made here by those who come when the mountain of God is first seen from this place’; as we also did. From that place to the mountain of God was about four miles altogether across that huge valley that I mentioned. 2. 1. The valley is very huge, lying under the side of the mountain of God, and was, as far as we could estimate by looking or they said, about sixteen miles in length and they claimed was four miles in width. So we had to cross this valley in order that we could reach the mountain. 2. This is the huge and very flat valley in which the children of Israel stayed on those days when holy Moses ascended the mountain of the Lord and was there forty days and forty nights.2 This is the valley in which the calf was made,3 the place of which is shown to this day; for a great stone stands fixed there in that place. So this is the same valley at the head of which is that place where, when holy Moses was feeding his father-in-law’s flocks, God spoke to him again from the burning bush.4 3. And because our route was that we should first ascend the mountain of God, because the ascent was better from the direction we were coming, and then from there descend to the head of the valley, that is, where the bush was, because the descent from the mountain of God was better from there, thus this was agreed, that having seen everything we desired, descending from the mountain of God, we should come to where the bush is, and return from there to the route right through the middle of that valley, where it extends in length, with the men of God who were showing us each of the places that are in Scripture throughout that valley; as was also done. 4. So, as we went from that place at which, on coming from Pharan we had made our prayer, our route was that we should cross through the middle of the head of that valley and so turn to the mountain of God. 5. The mountain itself appears from around to be singular, but when you reach it, there are more, but the whole is called the mountain of God, but that particular one on the summit of which the glory of God descended, as it is written,5 is in the middle of them all.



1 2 3 4 5

Num 11:34: Kibroth Hattaavah. Cf. Ex 19:2; 24:18. Cf. Ex 32:1–4. Cf. Ex 3:1–4:18; ‘again’ = LXX Ex 3:15; 4:6. Cf. Ex 24:16–17.

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6. Et cum hi omnes, qui per girum sunt, tam excelsi sint quam nunquam me puto uidisse, tamen ipse ille medianus, in quo descendit maiestas Dei, tanto altior est omnibus illis ut, cum subissemus in illo, prorsus toti illi montes, quos excelsos uideramus, ita infra nos essent ac si colliculi permodici essent. 7. Illud sane satis admirabile est et sine Dei gratia puto illud non esse ut, cum omnibus altior sit ille medianus, qui specialis Syna dicitur, id est in quo descendit maiestas Domini, tamen uideri non possit, nisi ad propriam radicem illius ueneris, ante tamen quam eum subeas; nam posteaquam completo desiderio descenderis inde, et de contra illum uides, quod, antequam subeas, facere non potest. Hoc autem, antequam perueniremus ad montem Dei, iam referentibus fratribus cognoueram, et postquam ibi perueni, ita esse manifeste cognoui. 3. 1. Nos ergo sabbato sera ingressi sumus montem, et peruenientes ad monasteria quedam susceperunt nos ibi satis humane monachi, qui ibi commorabantur, prebentes nobis omnem humanitatem; nam et aecclesia ibi est cum presbytero. Ibi ergo mansimus in ea nocte, et inde maturius die dominica cum ipso presbytero et monachis, qui ibi commorabantur, cepimus ascendere montes singulos. Qui montes cum infinito labore ascenduntur, quoniam non eos subis lente et lente per girum, ut dicimus, in coclea, sed totum ad directum subis ac si per parietem et ad directum descendi necesse est singulos ipsos montes, donec peruenias ad radicem propriam illius mediani, qui est specialis Syna. 2. Hac sic ergo iubente Christo Deo nostro, adiuta orationibus sanctorum, qui comitabantur, et sic cum grandi labore, quia pedibus me ascendere necesse erat, quia prorsus nec in sella ascendi poterat, tamen ipse labor non sentiebatur—ex ea parte autem non sentiebatur labor, quia desiderium, quod habebam, iubente Deo uidebam compleri: —hora ergo quarta peruenimus in summitatem illam montis Dei sancti Syna, ubi data est lex in eo, id est locum, ubi descendit maiestas Domini in ea die, qua mons fumigabat. 3. In eo ergo loco est nunc ecclesia non grandis, quoniam et ipse locus, id est summitas montis, non satis grandis est; quae tamen aecclesia habet de se gratiam grandem. 4. Cum ergo iubente Deo persubissemus in ipsa summitate et peruenissemus ad hostium ipsius ecclesiae, ecce et occurrit presbyter ueniens de monasterio suo, qui ipsi ecclesie deputabatur, senex integer et monachus a prima uita et, ut hic dicunt, ascitis, et—quid plura?—qualis dignus est esse in eo loco. Occurrerunt etiam et alii presbyteri, nec non etiam et omnes monachi, qui ibi commorabantur iuxta montem illum, id est qui tamen aut etate aut inbeccillitate non fuerunt impediti. 5. Verum autem in ipsa summitate montis illius mediani nullus commanet; nichil enim est ibi aliud nisi sola ecclesia et spelunca, ubi fuit sanctus Moyses.

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6. And whereas all these that are around are so very high as I think I never saw, yet that middle one, on which the glory of God descended, is so much taller than all those that, when we had gone up it, absolutely all those mountains that we had perceived as very high were so far below us as if they were very little hills. 7. This certainly is quite marvellous and without God’s grace I think it would not be, that, whereas the middle one, which is properly called Sinai, that is, on which the glory of the Lord descended, is taller than them all, yet it cannot be seen unless you come to the very foot of it, but before you go up it; for afterward, having fulfilled your desire, you come down from there and see it from the other side,* which it is not possible to do before you go up. Before we arrived at the mountain of God, I had already known this from what the brothers reported, and after I arrived there, I knew that it was definitely so. 3. 1. So we reached the mountain late on the Sabbath,* and arriving at some monastic cells, the monks who lived there received us there very kindly, affording us every kindness; for there is also a church there with a presbyter. So we stayed there that night, and from there early on the Lord’s Day we began to ascend each of the mountains with that presbyter and the monks who lived there. The mountains are ascended with immense labour, because you cannot go up them very slowly by going round, in a spiral* as we say, but you go completely straight up as if by a wall and it is necessary to descend straight down each of those mountains until you arrive at the very foot of that middle one, which is properly Sinai. 2. So, by the will of Christ our God and helped by the prayers of the holy ones who were accompanying [us], and with great labour, it was necessary for me to ascend on foot because it was not possible to ascend in the saddle (however, the labour itself was not felt, but the labour was partly not felt because I saw the desire that I had being fulfilled by God’s will), at the fourth hour then we arrived at the summit of the holy mountain of God, Sinai, where the Law was given, that is, at the place where the glory of the Lord descended on that day when the mountain smoked.6 3. So in that place there is now a church, not large because the place itself, that is, the summit of the mountain, is not very large, but the church has great grace. 4. So, when by God’s will we had reached that summit and arrived at the door of that church, behold, a presbyter who was assigned to that church, coming from his monastic cell, met [us], a healthy old person and a monk from his early life and, as they say here, an ascetic and—what more [shall I say]?—one who was worthy to be in that place. Other presbyters also met [us], as well as all the monks who lived there near that mountain, that is, those who were not hindered either by age or by infirmity. 5. Indeed, no one lives on the summit of that middle mountain, for nothing is there other than the church alone and the cave where holy Moses was.7



6 Cf. Ex 19:18. 7 Cf. Ex 33:22.

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6. Lecto ergo, ipso loco, omnia de libro Moysi et facta oblatione ordine suo, hac sic communicantibus nobis, iam ut exiremus de aecclesia, dederunt nobis presbyteri loci ipsius eulogias, id est de pomis, quae in ipso monte nascuntur. Nam cum ipse mons sanctus Syna totus petrinus sit, ita ut nec fruticem habeat, tamen deorsum prope radicem montium ipsorum, id est seu circa illius qui medianus est, seu circa illorum qui per giro sunt, modica terrola est; statim sancti monachi pro diligentia sua arbusculas ponunt et pomariola instituunt uel arationes, et iuxta sibi monasteria, quasi ex ipsius montis terra aliquos fructus capiant, quos tamen manibus suis elaborasse uideantur. 7. Hac sic ergo posteaquam communicaueramus et dederant nobis eulogias sancti illi et egressi sumus foras hostium ecclesiae, tunc cepi eos rogare, ut ostenderent nobis singula loca. Tunc statim illi sancti dignati sunt singula ostendere. Nam ostenderunt nobis speluncam illam, ubi fuit sanctus Moyses, cum iterato ascendisset in montem Dei, ut acciperet denuo tabulas, posteaquam priores illas fregerat peccante populo, et cetera loca, quaecumque desiderabamus uel quae ipsi melius nouerant, dignati sunt ostendere nobis. 8. Illud autem uos uolo scire, dominae uenerabiles sorores, quia de eo loco ubi stabamus, id est in giro parietes ecclesiae, id est de summitate montis ipsius mediani, ita infra nos uidebantur esse illi montes, quos primitus uix ascenderamus, iuxta istum medianum, in quo stabamus, ac si essent illi colliculi, cum tamen ita infiniti essent, ut non me putarem aliquando altiores uidisse, nisi quod hic medianus eos nimium precedebat. Egyptum autem et Palestinam et mare Rubrum et mare illut Parthenicum, quod mittit Alexandriam, nec non et fines Saracenorum infinitos ita subter nos inde uidebamus, ut credi uix possit; quae tamen singula nobis illi sancti demonstrabant. 4. 1. Completo ergo omni desiderio, quo festinaueramus ascendere, cepimus iam et descendere ab ipsa summitate montis Dei, in qua ascenderamus, in alio monte, qui ei periunctus est, qui locus appellatur in Choreb; ibi enim est ecclesia. 2. Nam hic est locus Choreb, ubi fuit sanctus Helias propheta, qua fugit a facie Achab regis, ubi ei locutus est Deus dicens: Quid tu hic Helias?, sicut scriptum est in libris regnorum. Nam et spelunca, ubi latuit sanctus Helias, in hodie ibi ostenditur ante hostium ecclesiae, que ibi est; ostenditur etiam ibi altarium lapideum, quem posuit ipse sanctus Helias ad offerendum Deo, sicut et illi sancti singula nobis ostendere dignabantur.

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6. When everything from the book of Moses* had been read in that place and the oblation* had been made in its order with us receiving Communion at it, as we were leaving the church the presbyters gave us eulogiae* from that place, that is, of fruits that grow on that mountain. For although the holy mountain of Sinai itself is completely rocky so that it has no bushes, yet, down near the foot of those mountains, that is, either around the one that is in the middle or around those that are in the vicinity, there is a small area of land; the holy monks in their diligence plant little trees and set up orchards and vegetable plots, and next to their monastic cells; they may seem as if they are gathering some fruits from the soil of the mountain itself, but they have produced them with their own hands. 7. Thus, after we had received Communion here and those holy ones had given us eulogiae and we had come outside the door of the church, then I began to ask them to show us various places. Then straightaway those holy ones were gracious enough to show us various places. For they showed us that cave where holy Moses was when he had ascended the mountain of God a second time that he might receive the tablets again, after he had broken the earlier ones when the people sinned;8 and they were gracious enough to show us the other places that we desired or that they themselves knew better. 8. But I want you to know, ladies, revered sisters, that from that place where we were standing, that is, around the walls of the church, that is, from the summit of the middle mountain itself, those mountains that at first we could hardly ascend seemed so far below us next to the middle one on which we were standing, as if they were little hills, when, however, they were so immense that I thought I had not seen any higher, except that this middle one exceeded them by far. From there we saw Egypt and Palestine and the Red Sea and the Parthenian Sea, which leads to Alexandria, as well as the immense territory of the Saracens, so far below us that it could hardly be believed; but those holy ones pointed out each of them to us. 4. 1. So, having fulfilled every desire for which we had hastened to ascend, we began also to descend from the summit of the mountain of God to which we had ascended, to another mountain that adjoined it; the place is called on Horeb,9 for a church is there. 2. For this place is Horeb, where the holy prophet Elijah was when he fled from the face of King Ahab, where God spoke to him, saying, ‘What [are] you [doing] here, Elijah?’,10 as it is written in the books of the Kingdoms. For the cave where holy Elijah lay hidden is also shown there today in front of the door of the church that is there; a stone altar that holy Elijah set up to make an offering to God is also shown there, as also the holy ones were gracious enough to show us each place.

8 Cf. Ex 33:22; 34:1–28; 32:19. 9 LXX Ex 17:6. 10 1 Kgs 19:9.

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3. Fecimus ergo et ibi oblationem et orationem impensissimam, et lectus est ipse locus de libro regnorum: id enim nobis uel maxime desideraueram semper, ut ubicumque uenissemus, semper ipse locus de libro legeretur. 4. Facta ergo et ibi oblatione, accessimus denuo ad alium locum non longe inde, ostendentibus presbyteris uel monachis, id est ad eum locum, ubi steterat sanctus Aaron cum septuaginta senioribus, cum sanctus Moyses acciperet a Domino legem ad filios Israhel. In eo ergo loco, licet et tectum non sit, tamen petra ingens est per girum, habens planitiem supra se, in qua stetisse dicuntur ipsi sancti; nam et in medio ibi quasi altarium de lapidibus factum habet. Lectus est ergo et ibi ipse locus de libro Moysi et dictus unus psalmus aptus loco; ac sic facta oratione descendimus inde. 5. Ecce et coepit iam esse hora forsitan octaua, et adhuc nobis superabant milia tria, ut perexiremus montes ipsos, quos ingressi fueramus pridie sera; sed non ipsa parte exire habebamus, qua intraueramus, sicut superius dixi, quia necesse nos erat et loca omnia sancta ambulare et monasteria, quecumque erant ibi, uidere et sic ad uallis illius, quam superius dixi, caput exire, id est huius uallis, quae subiacet monti Dei. 6. Propterea autem ad caput ipsius uallis exire nos necesse erat, quoniam ibi erant monasteria plurima sanctorum hominum et ecclesia in eo loco, ubi est rubus; qui rubus usque in hodie uiuet et mittet uirgultas. 7. Ac sic ergo perdescenso monte Dei peruenimus ad rubum hora forsitan decima. Hic est autem rubus, quem superius dixi, de quo locutus est Dominus Moysi in igne, qui est in eo loco, ubi monasteria sunt plurima et ecclesia in capite uallis ipsius. Ante ipsam autem ecclesiam hortus est gratissimus, habens aquam optimam abundantem, in quo horto ipse rubus est. 8. Locus etiam ostenditur ibi iuxta, ubi stetit sanctus Moyses, quando ei dixit Deus: Solue corrigiam calciamenti tui et cetera. Et in eo ergo loco cum peruenissemus, hora decima erat iam, et ideo, quia iam sera erat, oblationem facere non potuimus. Sed facta est oratio in ecclesia nec non etiam et in horto ad rubum; lectus est etiam locus ipse de libro Moysi iuxta consuetudinem: et sic, quia sera erat, gustauimus nobis loco in horto ante rubum cum sanctis ipsis: ac sic ergo fecimus ibi mansionem. Et alia die maturius uigilantes rogauimus presbyteros ut et ibi fieret oblatio, sicut et facta est. 5. 1. Et quoniam nobis iter sic erat, ut per ualle illa media, qua tenditur per longum, iremus, id est illa ualle, quam superius dixi, ubi sederant filii Israhel, dum Moyses ascenderet in montem Dei et descenderet: itaque ergo singula, quemadmodum uenimus per ipsam totam uallem, semper nobis sancti illi loca demonstrabant.

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3. So we made both the oblation there and most earnest prayer, and that passage from the book of the Kingdoms was read; for I had always desired very greatly for us that, wherever we came, the [relevant] passage from the book should always be read. 4. So, when the oblation had been made there, we then travelled to another place not far from there shown us by the presbyters and monks, that is, to that place where Aaron had stayed with seventy elders when holy Moses had been receiving from the Lord the Law for the children of Israel.11 So in that place, although it is not roofed,* yet there is a huge round rock that has a flat surface on top of it, on which those holy ones are said to have stood; for there in the middle there is, as it were, an altar made of stones. So, that passage from the book of Moses was read there and one psalm appropriate to the place was recited; and then having made prayer, we descended from there. 5. Behold, it began to be about the eighth hour and three miles still remained to us before we could leave those mountains that we had entered late on the previous day; but we did not have to go out on the same side as we had entered, as I said above, because it was necessary for us to journey past all the holy places and see whatever monastic cells were there and so go out at the head of that valley, which I mentioned above, that is, of this valley that lies beneath the mountain of God. 6. It was necessary for us to come out at the head of the valley for this reason: because there were there very many cells of holy men and a church in that place where the bush is; the bush is alive down to today and produces shoots. 7. Thus, having descended the mountain of God, we arrived at the bush at about the tenth hour. This [is] the bush that I mentioned above, from which the Lord spoke to Moses in the fire, which is in that place where there are very many monastic cells and a church at the head of the valley. In front of that church is a very pleasant garden having excellent water in abundance, and in this garden is the bush. 8. The place is also shown near there where holy Moses stood when God said to him, Loosen the fastening of your shoe,* and the rest.12 And when we had arrived in that place, it was already the tenth hour, and for that reason, because it was already late, we were not able to make the oblation. But prayer was made in the church as well as in the garden at the bush; that passage from the book of Moses was also read according to the custom; and so, because it was late, we ate at a place* in the garden in front of the bush with the holy ones; and so we made our stay there. And the next day, waking early, we asked the presbyters that the oblation also be made there; as was also done. 5. 1. And because our route was such that we should go through the middle of that valley where it extends in length (that is, the valley that I mentioned above, where the children of Israel had stayed while Moses ascended the mountain of God and descended), therefore the holy ones constantly pointed out to us various places when we came through the whole valley.

11 Cf. Ex 24:9–14. 12 Ex 3:5.

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2. Nam in primo capite ipsius uallis, ubi manseramus et uideramus rubum illum, de quo locutus est Deus sancto Moysi in igne, uideramus etiam et illum locum, in quo steterat ante rubum sanctus Moyses, quando ei dixit Deus: Solue corrigiam calciamenti tui; locus enim, in quo stas, terra sancta est. 3. Ac sic ergo cetera loca, quemadmodum profecti sumus de rubo, semper nobis ceperunt ostendere.Nam et monstrauerunt locum ubi fuerunt castra filiorum israhel his diebus, quibus moyses fuit in montem. Monstrauerunt etiam locum ubi factus est uitulus ille; nam in eo loco fixus est usque in hodie lapis grandis. 4. Nos etiam, quemadmodum ibamus, de contra uidebamus summitatem montis, que inspiciebat super ipsa ualle tota, de quo loco sanctus Moyses uidit filios Israhel habentes choros his diebus, qua fecerant uitulum. Ostenderunt etiam petram ingentem in ipso loco ubi descendebat sanctus Moyses cum Iesu filio Naue, ad quem petram iratus fregit tabulas, quas afferebat. 5. Ostenderunt etiam quemadmodum per ipsam uallem unusquisque eorum abitationes habuerant, de quibus abitationibus usque in hodie adhuc fundamenta parent, quemadmodum fuerunt lapide girata. Ostenderunt etiam locum ubi filios Israhel iussit currere sanctus Moyses de porta in porta, regressus a monte. 6. Item ostenderunt nobis locum ubi incensus est uitulus ipse, iubente sancto Moyse, quem fecerat eis Aaron. Item ostenderunt torrentem illum, de quo potauit sanctus Moyses filios Israhel, sicut scriptum est in Exodo. 7. Ostenderunt etiam nobis locum ubi de spiritu Moysi acceperunt septuaginta uiri. Item ostenderunt locum ubi filii Israhel habuerunt concupiscentiam escarum. Nam ostenderunt nobis etiam et illum locum, qui appellatus est incendium, quia incensa est quedam pars castrorum, tunc qua orante sancto Moyse cessauit ignis. 8. Ostenderunt etiam et illum locum ubi eis pluit manna et coturnices. Ac sic ergo singula, quecumque scripta sunt in libris sanctis Moysi facta fuisse in eo loco, id est in ea ualle, quam dixi subiacere monti Dei, id est sancto Syna, ostensa sunt nobis. Quae quidem omnia singulatim scribere satis fuit, quia nec retinere poterant tanta; sed cum leget affectio uestra libros sanctos Moysi, omnia diligentius peruidet, quae ibi facta sunt.

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2. For at the very head of the valley where we had stayed and saw that bush from which God spoke to holy Moses in the fire, we also saw that place where holy Moses stood before the bush when God said to him, Loosen the fastening of your shoe;* for the place where you are standing is holy ground.13 3. And thus, when we set out from the bush, they began constantly to show us the rest of the places. For they also pointed out the place where the camps of the children of Israel were on those days when Moses was on the mountain.14 They also pointed out the place where that calf was made;15 for in that place a great stone is fixed down to this day. 4. Also as we went, we saw from the other side* the summit of the mountain that looks over the whole valley; from that place holy Moses saw the children of Israel dancing in those days when they had made the calf. They also showed a huge rock in that place where holy Moses descended with Joshua, son of Nun; on this rock in anger he broke the tablets that he was carrying.16 5. They also showed how throughout the valley each of them had their dwellings, the foundations of which are still visible down to this day, and how they were a stone circle. They also showed the place where holy Moses, having returned from the mountain, ordered the children of Israel to run from gate to gate.17 6. Then they showed us the place where the calf that Aaron had made for them was burned at the bidding of holy Moses.18 Then they showed that stream from which holy Moses made the children of Israel drink, as it is written in Exodus.19 7. They also showed that place where the seventy men received of Moses’ spirit.20 Then they showed the place where the children of Israel had lust for food. For they also showed us that place which is called The Burning, because part of the camp was burned, then when holy Moses prayed, the fire ceased.21 8. They also showed that place where it rained manna and quails on them.22 Thus all the things that are written in the holy books of Moses as having been done in that place, that is, in that valley that I said lay below the mountain of God, that is, holy Sinai, were shown to us. It has been enough to write all these things one by one because so many could not be retained; but when your affection reads the holy books of Moses, you will perceive more accurately everything that was done there.

13 Ex 3:5. 14 Cf. Ex 19:2. 15 Cf. Ex 32:1–4. 16 Cf. Ex 32:17–19. 17 Ex 32:27. 18 Cf. Ex 32:20. 19 Cf. Ex. 32:20. 20 Cf. Num 11:24–25. 21 = Taberah; cf. Num 11:1–4. 22 Cf. Num 11:9, 31; or Ex 16:13–15.

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9. Haec est ergo uallis ubi celebrata est pascha completo anno profectionis filiorum Israhel de terra Egypti, quoniam in ipsa ualle filii Israhel commorati sunt aliquandiu, id est donec sanctus Moyses ascenderet in montem Dei et descenderet primum et iterato; et denuo tandiu ibi inmorati sunt, donec fieret tabernaculum et singula, quae ostensa sunt in montem Dei. Nam ostensus est nobis et ille locus, in quo confixum a Moyse est primitus tabernaculum et perfecta sunt singula, quae iusserat Deus in montem Moysi, ut fierent. 10. Vidimus etiam in extrema iam ualle ipsa Memorias concupiscentiae, in eo tamen loco, in quo denuo reuersi sumus ad iter nostrum, hoc est ubi exeuntes de ualle illa grande reingressi sumus uia, qua ueneramus, inter montes illos, quos superius dixeram. Nam etiam ipsa die accessimus et ad ceteros monachos ualde sanctos, qui tamen pro etate aut inbecillitate occurrere in monte Dei ad oblationem faciendam non poterant; qui tamen nos dignati sunt in monasteriis suis aduenientes ualde humane suscipere. 11. Ac sic ergo uisa loca sancta omnia, quae desiderauimus, nec non etiam et omnia loca, quae filii Israhel tetigerant eundo uel redeundo ad montem Dei, uisis etiam et sanctis uiris, qui ibi commorabantur, in nomine Dei regressi sumus in Faran. 12. Et licet semper Deo in omnibus gratias agere debeam, non dicam in his tantis et talibus, quae circa me conferre dignatus est indignam et non merentem, ut perambularem omnia loca, quae mei meriti non erant: tamen etiam et illis omnibus sanctis nec sufficio gratias agere, qui meam paruitatem dignabantur in suis monasteriis libenti animo suscipere uel certe per omnia loca deducere, quae ego semper iuxta Scripturas sanctas requirebam. Plurimi autem ex ipsis sanctis, qui in montem Dei uel circa ipsum montem commorabantur, dignati sunt nos usque in Faran deducere, qui tamen fortiori corpore erant. 6. 1. Ac sic ergo cum peruenissemus Faram, quod sunt a monte Dei milia triginta et quinque, necesse nos fuit ibi ad resumendum biduo immorari. Ac tertia die inde maturantes uenimus denuo ad mansionem id est in desertum Faran, ubi et euntes manseramus, sicut et superius dixi. Inde denuo alia die facientes aquam et euntes adhuc aliquantulum inter montes peruenimus ad mansionem, quae erat iam super mare, id est in eo loco, ubi iam de inter montes exitur et incipitur denuo totum iam iuxta mare ambulari, sic tamen iuxta mare, ut subito fluctus animalibus pedes cedat, subito etiam et in centum et in ducentis passibus, aliquotiens etiam et plus quam quingentos passus de mari per heremum ambuletur: uia enim illic penitus non est, sed totum heremi sunt arenosae.

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9. This is the valley where the Passover was celebrated when a year had been completed after the departure of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,23 because in that valley the children of Israel stayed for some time, that is, while holy Moses ascended the mountain of God and descended the first time and again; and then they stayed there for a time while the tabernacle and everything that had been shown on the mountain of God was made. For that place was also shown to us in which the tabernacle was first set up by Moses and all things completed that God on the mountain had ordered Moses to make.24 10. We also saw at the end of that valley the Graves of Lust25 in that place in which we then returned to our route, this is, where leaving that large valley, we re-entered the road by which we had come between those mountains, which I spoke about above. For also on that day we came to the rest of those very holy monks who, through age or infirmity, were not able to meet on the mountain of God to make the oblation, but who were gracious enough to receive us very kindly when we arrived at their monastic cells. 11. Thus, having seen all the holy places that we desired as well as all the places that the children of Israel had reached in going to and from the mountain of God, having also seen the holy men who lived there, in the name of God we returned to Pharan. 12. And although I ought always to give thanks to God for all things—I am not speaking of the many such things that he has been gracious enough to bestow on me, unworthy and undeserving, that I should journey through all the places that I did not deserve—yet I cannot sufficiently give thanks for all those holy ones who were gracious enough to receive my unimportance in their monastic cells with a willing mind or to lead me surely through all the places that I was always searching for according to the holy Scriptures. Very many of those holy ones who lived on the mountain of God or around that mountain, those, however, who were stronger in body, were gracious enough to lead us as far as Pharan. 6. 1. Thus, when we had arrived at Pharan, which is thirty-five miles from the mountain of God, it was necessary for us to stay there to rest for two days. On the third day, hastening from there, we then came to a staging post, that is, in the desert of Pharan, where we had also stayed when going, as I also said above.* Then on the next day, taking on water and going from there a little farther through the mountains, we arrived at a staging post that was beside the sea, that is, in that place where one comes out from between the mountains and then begins to travel entirely beside the sea, but beside the sea in such a way that at times the waves strike the feet of the animals, at other times one travels through the desert a hundred or two hundred paces or sometimes even more than five hundred paces from the sea; for a road does not exist there at all, but it is entirely desert sands.

23 Cf. Num 9:1–5. 24 Cf. Ex 40:1–33. 25 Num 11:34; cf. 1.1 above.

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2. Faranite autem, qui ibi consueuerunt ambulare cum camelis suis, signa sibi locis et locis ponent, ad quae signa se tendent et sic ambulant per diem. Nocte autem signa cameli attendunt. Et quid plura? diligentius et securius iam in eo loco ex consuetudine Faranitae ambulant nocte quam aliqui hominum ambulare potest in his locis, ubi uia aperta est. 3. In eo ergo loco de inter montes exiuimus redeuntes, in quo loco et euntes inter montes intraueramus, ac sic ergo denuo plicauimus nos ad mare. Filii etiam Israhel reuertentes a monte Dei Syna usque ad eum locum reuersi sunt per iter quod ierant, id est usque ad eum locum, ubi de inter montes exiuimus et iunximus nos denuo ad mare Rubrum et inde nos iam iter nostrum, quo ueneramus, reuersi sumus: filii autem Israhel de eodem loco, sicut scriptum est in libris sancti Moysi, ambulauerunt iter suum. 4. Nos autem eodem itinere et eisdem mansionibus, quibus ieramus, reuersi sumus in Clesma. In Clesma autem cum uenissemus necesse nos fuit denuo et ibi denuo resumere, quoniam iter heremi arenosum ualde feceramus. 7. 1. Sane licet terra Gesse iam nosse, id est qua primitus ad Egyptum fueram, tamen ut peruiderem omnia loca, quae filii Israhel exeuntes de Ramesse tetigerant euntes, donec peruenirent usque ad mare Rubrum, qui locus nunc de castro, qui ibi est, appellatur Clesma; desiderii ergo fuit, ut de Clesma ad terram Gesse exiremus, id est ad ciuitatem quae appellatur Arabia, quae ciuitas in terra Gesse est; nam inde ipsum territorium sic appellatur, id est terra Arabiae, terra Iesse, quae tamen terra Egypti pars est, sed melior satis quam omnis Egyptus est. 2. Sunt ergo a Clesma, id est a mare Rubro, usque ad Arabiam ciuitatem mansiones quattuor per heremo sic tamen per heremum, ut cata mansiones monasteria sint cum militibus et prepositis, qui nos deducebant semper de castro ad castrum. In eo ergo itinere sancti, qui nobis cum erant, hoc est clerici uel monachi, ostendebant nobis singula loca, quae semper ego iuxta Scripturas requirebam; nam alia in sinistro, alia in dextro de itinere nobis erant, alia etiam longius de uia, alia in proximo. 3. Nam michi credat uolo affectio uestra, quantum tamen peruidere potui, filios Israhel sic ambulasse, ut quantum irent dextra, tantum reuerterentur sinistra, quantum denuo in ante ibant, tantum denuo retro reuertebantur: et sic fecerunt ipsum iter, donec peruenirent ad mare Rubrum.

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2. The Pharanites, who are accustomed to travel there with their camels, put markers for themselves from place to place, and they head for these markers and so travel by day. But at night the camels turn towards the markers. And what more [shall I say]? The Pharanites travel more securely and safely in that place by night from familiarity than other people can travel in places where there is a clear road. 3. So, on returning, we came out from between the mountains in the same place at which we had entered into the mountains when going, and thus then turned towards the sea. The children of Israel returning from the mountain of God, Sinai, also returned to this place by the way that they had gone, that is, to the place where we came out from between the mountains and then joined ourselves to the Red Sea; and from there we retraced our route by which we had come, but from the same place the children of Israel traveled on their route, as it is written in the books of holy Moses.26 4. We returned to Clysma by the same route and the same staging posts by which we had gone. When we came to Clysma, it was then necessary for us then to rest there also, because we had made a very sandy journey through the desert. 7. 1. Although I had indeed already known the land of Goshen,27 that is, when I was first in Egypt, yet so that I might look at all the places that the children of Israel had reached on their way when leaving Rameses28 until they arrived at the Red Sea, at the place that is called Clysma from the fort that is there, so it was my desire that we should go from Clysma to the land of Goshen, that is, to the city that is called Arabia, which is in the land of Goshen; for from that the territory itself is so called, that is, the land of Arabia, the land of Goshen,29 although it is part of the land of Egypt, but is much better than all Egypt.30 2. There are from Clysma, that is, from the Red Sea, as far as the city of Arabia four staging posts in the desert, but in the desert such that at the staging posts there are monasteries* with soldiers and officers, who always led us from fort to fort. So, on that journey the holy ones who were with us, that is, clergy and monks, showed us all the places that I was always searching for according to the Scriptures; for some were on the left, others on the right of our route, some also far from the road, others near. 3. For I wish your affection to believe me that as far as I was able to see, the children of Israel so journeyed that as far as they went to the right, so far did they return to the left, as far as then they went forward, so far then did they return back; and so they made their way until they arrived at the Red Sea.

26 27 28 29 30

Cf. Num 10:12–12:16. Cf. Ex 8:22; 9:26. Cf. Ex 12:37. Cf. LXX Gen 46:34; also 7.9, below. Cf. Gen 47:6.

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4. Nam et Epauleum ostensum est nobis, de contra tamen, et Magdalum fuimus. Nam castrum est ibi nunc habens prepositum cum milite, qui ibi nunc presidet pro disciplina Romana. Nam et nos iuxta consuetudinem deduxerunt inde usque ad aliud castrum, et loco Belsefon ostensum est nobis, immo in eo loco fuimus. Nam ipse est campus supra mare Rubrum iuxta latus montis, quem superius dixi, ubi filii Israhel, cum uidissent Egyptios post se uenientes, exclamauerunt. 5. Oton etiam ostensum est nobis, quod est iuxta deserta loca, sicut scriptum est, nec non etiam et Socchoth. Socchoth autem est cliuus modicus in media ualle, iuxta quem colliculum fixerunt castra filii Israhel; nam hic est locus, ubi accepta est lex paschae. 6. Pithona etiam ciuitas, quam edificauerunt filii Israhel, ostensa est nobis in ipso itinere, in eo tamen loco, ubi iam fines Egypti intrauimus, relinquentes iam terras Saracenorum: nam et ipsud nunc Phitona castrum est. 7. Heroum autem ciuitas, quae fuit illo tempore, id est ubi occurrit Ioseph patri suo Iacob uenienti, sicut scriptum est in libro Genesis, nunc est come, sed grandis, quod nos dicimus uicus. Nam ipse uicus ecclesiam habet et martyria et monasteria plurima sanctorum monachorum, ad quae singula uidenda necesse nos fuit ibi descendere iuxta consuetudinem, quam tenebamus. 8. Nam ipse uicus nunc appellatur Hero, quae tamen Hero a terra Iesse miliario iam sexto decimo est, nam in finibus Egypti est. Locus autem ipse, satis gratus est, nam et pars quedam fluminis Nili ibi currit. 9. Ac sic ergo exeuntes de Hero peruenimus ad ciuitatem, que appellatur Arabia, quae est ciuitas in terra Iesse, unde scriptum est dixisse Pharaonem ad Ioseph: in meliori terra Egypti colloca patrem tuum et fratres, in terra Iessen, in terra Arabiae. 8. 1. De Arabia autem ciuitate quattuor milia passus sunt Ramessen. Nos autem, ut ueniremus ad mansionem Arabiae, per media Ramesse transiuimus: quae Ramessen ciuitas nunc campus est, ita ut nec unam habitationem habeat. Paret sane quoniam et ingens fuit per girum et multas fabricas habuit; ruinae enim ipsius, quemadmodum collapsae sunt, in hodie infinitae parent. 2. Nunc autem ibi nichil aliud est nisi tantum unus lapis ingens thebeus, in quo sunt duae statuae exclusae ingentes, quas dicunt esse sanctorum hominum, id est Moysi et Aaron; nam dicent eo quod filii Israhel in honore ipsorum eas posuerint. 3. Et est ibi preterea arbor sicomori, quae dicitur a patriarchis posita esse; nam iam uetustissima est et ideo permodica est, licet tamen adhuc fructus afferat. Nam cuicumque inquomoditas fuerit, uadent ibi et tollent surculos, et prode illis est.

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4. For Epauleum31 was shown to us, but from the other side,* and we were at Migdol. For there is a fort there now having an officer with soldiers, who now maintains the authority of Rome there. For according to the custom they led us from there as far as another fort, and Baal-zephon was shown to us, indeed we were in that place. For it is a plain above the Red Sea next to the side of the mountain that I mentioned above, where the children of Israel cried out when they had seen the Egyptians coming after them.32 5. Etham, which is next to desert places, as it is written,33 was also shown to us, as well as Succoth. Succoth is a gentle rise in the middle of a valley, and next to this little hill the children of Israel established a camp; for this is the place where the law of the Passover was received.34 6. The city of Pithom, which the children of Israel had built,35 was also shown to us on that journey, but in that place where we already entered the territory of Egypt, leaving the lands of the Saracens; for that same Pithom is now a fort. 7. Heroopolis, which existed at that time, that is, where Joseph met his father Jacob as he came, as it is written in the book of Genesis,36 is now a kōmē,* but a large one, what we call a village. For that village has a church and martyria* and very many cells of holy monks; in order to see each of them it was necessary for us to dismount there according to the custom that we kept. 8. For the village is now called Hero, and it is sixteen miles from the land of Goshen, for it is within the borders of Egypt. The place is very pleasant, for some part of the River Nile also flows there. 9. So, going from Hero, we arrived at the city that is called Arabia, which is a city in the land of Goshen, of which it is written that Pharaoh said to Joseph, In the better land of Egypt settle your father and brothers in the land of Goshen, in the land of Arabia.37 8. 1. From the city of Arabia it is four miles to Rameses. So that we might come to the staging post in Arabia, we crossed through the middle of Rameses. The city of Rameses is now levelled, so that it does not have a single dwelling. It is certainly evident that it was both huge in extent and had many buildings, for the ruins of it, though fallen, appear immense today. 2. But now there is nothing else there except for just one great Theban stone, on which are two huge carved statues, which they say are of holy men, that is, of Moses and Aaron; for they say that the children of Israel erected them in their honour. 3. And there is there besides a sycamore tree, which is said to have been planted by the patriarchs; for it is very old and so very small, although it still bears fruit. For those who have any ailment go there and pick off twigs, and it benefits them.

31 32 33 34 35 36 37

LXX Ex 14:2 = Pi-hahiroth. Cf. Ex 14:9–10. Ex 13:20. Cf. Ex 12:37–50. Cf. Ex 1:11. Cf. LXX Gen 46:29. Gen. 47:6; cf. also 7.1, above.

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4. Hoc autem referente sancto episcopo de Arabia cognouimus; nam ipse nobis dixit nomen ipsius arboris, quemadmodum appellant eam grece, id est dendros alethiae, quod nos dicimus arbor ueritatis. Qui tamen sanctus episcopus nobis ramessen occurrere dignatus est; nam est iam senior uir, uere satis religiosus ex monacho et affabilis, suscipiens peregrinos ualde bene; nam et in scripturis dei ualde eruditus est. 5. Ipse ergo cum se dignatus fuisset uexare et ibi nobis occurrere, singula ibi ostendit seu retulit de illas statuas, quas dixi, ut etiam et de illa arbore sicomori. Nam et hoc nobis ipse sanctus episcopus retulit, eo quod Farao, quando uidit quod filii Israhel dimiserant eum, tunc ille, priusquam post illos occuparet, isset cum omni exercitu suo intra Ramesse et incendisset eam omnem, quia infinita erat ualde, et inde post filios Israhel fuisset profectus. 9. 1. Nobis autem fortuitu hoc gratissimum euenit, ut ea die, qua uenimus ad mansionem Arabia, pridie a beatissimo die Epiphania esset; nam eadem die uigiliae agende erant in ecclesia. Ac sic ergo aliquo biduo ibi tenuit nos sanctus episcopus, sanctus et uere homo Dei, notus mihi iam satis de eo tempore, a quo ad Thebaidam fueram. 2. Ipse autem sanctus episcopus ex monacho est; nam a pisinno in monasterio nutritus est, et ideo aut tam eruditus in Scripturis est aut tam emendatus in omni uita sua, ut et superius dixi. 3. Nos autem inde iam remisimus milites, qui nobis pro disciplina Romana auxilia prebuerant, quandiu per loca suspecta ambulaueramus; iam autem, quoniam agger publicum erat per Egyptum, quod transiebat per Arabiam ciuitatem, id est quod mittit de Thebaida in Pelusio, et ideo iam non fuit necesse uexare milites. 4. Proficiscentes ergo inde totum per terram Gessen iter fecimus semper inter uineas, quae dant uinum, et uineas, quae dant balsamum, et inter pomaria et agros cultissimos et hortos plurimos iter habuimus totum super ripam fluminis Nili inter fundos frequentissimos, quae fuerant quondam uillae filiorum Israhel. Et quid plura? pulchriorem territorium puto me nusquam uidisse quam est terra Iessen. 5. Ac sic ergo ab Arabia ciuitate iter facientes per biduo totum per terram Gessen peruenimus tatnis, in ea ciuitate ubi natus est sanctus Moyses. Haec est autem ciuitas Tathnis, quae fuit quondam metropolis Pharaonis. 6. Et licet ea loca, ut superius dixi, iam nosse, id est quando Alexandriam uel ad Thebaidem fueram, tamen quia ad plenum discere uolebam loca, quae ambulauerunt filii Israhel proficiscentes ex Ramesse usque ad montem Deii sanctum Syna: ac sic necesse fuit etiam denuo ad terram Gessen reuerti et inde Tathnis. Proficiscentes ergo de Tathnis, ambulans per iter iam notum perueni Pelusio. 7. Et inde proficiscens denuo faciens iter per singulas mansiones Egypti, per quas iter habueramus, perueni ad fines Palestinae. Et inde in nomine Christi Dei nostri faciens denuo mansiones aliquod per Palestina regressa sum in Helia, id est in Ierusolimam.

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4. We knew this, being informed by the holy bishop of Arabia, for he told us the name of that tree, what they call it in Greek, that is, Dendros alethiae, as we say, ‘Tree of truth.’ This holy bishop was gracious enough to meet us at Rameses; for he is already an old man, truly very pious, a former monk and affable, receiving strangers very well; for he is also very learned in God’s Scriptures. 5. So, when he had been gracious enough to be disturbed and to meet us there, he showed us everything there and informed us about those statues that I mentioned, as well as about that sycamore tree. For the holy bishop also informed us that Pharaoh, when he saw that the children of Israel had escaped him, then before he took off after them, had gone with all his army into Rameses and had burned it all, which was very immense, and from there had pursued the children of Israel. 9. 1. By chance it turned out very gratifyingly for us that the day when we came to the staging post in Arabia was the day before the most blessed day of the Epiphany; for on that same day a vigil was to be held in the church. Thus, the holy bishop, a holy and true man of God, well known to me already from the time I had been in the Thebaid, kept us there some two days. 2. This holy bishop is a former monk, for he was brought up from childhood in a monastery, and so is as learned in the Scriptures as he is faultless in his whole life, as I also said above. 3. From there we sent back the soldiers who in the name of Roman authority had afforded us assistance while we journeyed through dangerous places; but now because there was a public highway through Egypt that passed through the city of Arabia, that is, that goes from the Thebaid to Pelusium, there was no necessity to trouble the soldiers further. 4. So, setting out from there, we made our way entirely through the land of Goshen, constantly among vineyards that produce wine and vineyards that produce balsam and among orchards and cultivated fields and fine gardens; we had our route entirely along the bank of the River Nile among very fertile estates that had once been the farms* of the children of Israel and—what more [shall I say]?—I think I had never seen a more beautiful country than the land of Goshen. 5. Thus, making our way from the city of Arabia for two days entirely through the land of Goshen, we arrived at Tathnis, the city where holy Moses was born.* This is the city of Tathnis, which was once the capital city of Pharaoh. 6. And although I had already known those places, as I said above, that is, when I had been in Alexandria and the Thebaid, yet because I wished to learn fully about the places where the children of Israel journeyed when setting out from Rameses as far as the mountain of God, holy Sinai, it was necessary also then to return to the land of Goshen and from there to Tathnis. So, setting out from Tathnis, journeying by the route I already knew, I arrived at Pelusium. 7. And then, setting out from there, making my way through each of the staging posts of Egypt through which we had been before, I arrived at the border of Palestine. And from there in the name of Christ our God, stopping then at several staging posts across Palestine, I returned to Aelia, that is, to Jerusalem.

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10. 1. Item transacto aliquanto tempore et iubente Deo fuit denuo uoluntas accedendi usque ad Arabiam, id est ad montem Nabau, in eo loco, in quo iussit Deus ascendere Moysen dicens ad eum: Ascende in montem Arabot, montem Nabau, qui est in terra Moab contra faciem Iericho, et uide terram Chanaan, quam ego do filiis Israhel in possessionem, et morere in monte ipso, in quem ascenderis. 2. Itaque ergo Deus noster Iesus, qui sperantes in se non deseret, etiam et in hoc uoluntati meae effectum prestare dignatus est. 3. Proficiscens ergo Ierusolima faciens iter cum sanctis, id est presbytero et diaconibus de Ierusolima et fratribus aliquantis, id est monachis, peruenimus ergo usque ad eum locum Iordanis ubi filii Israhel transierant, quando eos sanctus Iesus filius Naue Iordanem traiecerat, sicut scriptum est in libro Iesu Naue. Nam et locus ille ostensus est nobis quasi modice altior, ubi filii Ruben et Gad et dimidia tribus Manasse fecerant aram, in ea parte ripae, qua est Iericho. 4. Transeuntes ergo fluuium peruenimus ad ciuitatem, que appellatur Libiada, quae est in eo campo, in quo tunc filii Israhel castra fixerant. Nam et fundamenta de castris filiorum Israhel et habitationibus ipsorum, ubi commorati sunt, in eo loco in hodie parent. Campus enim ipse est infinitus subter montes Arabiae super Iordanem. Nam hic est locus, de quo scriptum est: Et plorauerunt filii Israhel Moysen in Arabot Moab et Iordane contra Iericho quadraginta diebus. 5. Hic etiam locus est ubi post recessum Moysi statim Iesus filius Naue repletus est spiritu scientiae: imposuerat enim Moyses manus suas super eum, sicut scriptum est. 6. Nam ipse est locus ubi scripsit Moyses librum Deuteronomii. Hic etiam est locus ubi locutus est Moyses in aures totius ecclesiae Israhel uerba cantici usque in finem huius, qui scriptus est in libro Deuteronomii. Hic est ipse locus, ubi benedixit sanctus Moyses, homo Dei, filios Israhel singulatim per ordinem ante obitum suum.

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10. 1. Then having spent some time there, it was next my wish, God willing, to travel as far as Arabia, that is, to Mount Nebo, to the place where God commanded Moses to ascend, saying to him, Go up into the mountain Arabot,* Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab over against Jericho, and see the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel for a possession, and die on that mountain which you will have gone up.38 2. Therefore, our God Jesus, who will not abandon those hoping in him, also was gracious enough to give effect to this my wish. 3. So, setting out from Jerusalem and making my way with holy ones, that is, a presbyter and deacons from Jerusalem and some brothers, that is, monks, we arrived at the place on the Jordan where the children of Israel had crossed when holy Joshua, son of Nun, had led them across the Jordan, as it is written in the Book of Joshua, son of Nun.39 For that place was also shown to us, a little higher up, where the children of Reuben and of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh had made an altar, on that side of the river where Jericho is.40 4. So, crossing the river, we arrived at the city that is called Livias, which is in that plain where the children of Israel had then set up camp. For the foundations from the camp of the children of Israel and from their dwellings where they stayed are also evident in that place to this day. For the plain itself is immense, below the mountains of Arabia and above the Jordan. For this is the place of which it is written, And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the Arabot of Moab on the Jordan over against Jericho for forty* days.41 5. This is also the place where, after the death of Moses, immediately Joshua, son of Nun, was filled with the spirit of wisdom: for Moses had laid his hands on him, as it is written.42 6. For it is the place where Moses wrote the book of Deuteronomy.43 This is also the place where Moses spoke in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this canticle until its end that is written in the book of Deuteronomy.44 This is the place where holy Moses, the man of God, blessed the children of Israel45 one by one in order before his death.

38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45

Dt 32:49–50. Cf. Jos 3–4. Cf. Jos 22:10. Dt 34:8. Dt 34:9. Cf. Dt 31:24. Dt 31:30; cf. Dt 32:1–43. Dt 33:1.

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7. Nos ergo cum uenissemus in eodem campo, peraccessimus ad locum ipsum, et facta est ibi oratio, lecta etiam pars quedam Deuteronomii in eo loco, nec non etiam et canticus ipsius, sed et benedictiones, quas dixerat super filios Israhel. Et iterato post lectione facta est oratio, et gratias Deo agentes mouimus inde. Id enim nobis semper consuetudinis erat ut, ubicumque ad loca desiderata accedere ualebamus, primum ibi fieret oratio, deinde legeretur lectio ipsa de codice, diceretur etiam psalmus unus pertinens ad rem et iterato fieret ibi oratio. Hanc ergo consuetudinem iubente Deo semper tenuimus, ubicumque ad loca desiderata potuimus peruenire. 8. Ac sic ergo, ut ceptum opus perficeretur, cepimus festinare, ut perueniremus ad montem Nabau. Euntibus nobis commonuit presbyter loci ipsius, id est de Libiadae, quem ipsum nobis cum rogantes moueramus de mansione, quia melius ipsa loca nouerat: dicit ergo nobis ipse presbyter: ‘Si uultis uidere aquam, quae fluit de petra, id est quam dedit Moyses filiis Israhel sitientibus, potestis uidere, si tamen uolueritis laborem uobis imponere, ut de uia camsemus forsitan miliario sexto.’ 9. Quod cum dixisset, nos satis auidi optati sumus ire, et statim diuertentes a uia secuti sumus presbyterum, qui nos ducebat. In eo ergo loco ecclesia est pisinna subter montem, non Nabau, sed alterum interiorem: sed nec ipse longe est de Nabau. Monachi autem plurimi commanent ibi uere sancti et quos hic ascites uocant. 11. 1. Hi ergo sancti monachi dignati sunt nos suscipere ualde humane, nam et ad salutationem suam permiserunt nos ingredi. Cum autem ingressi fuissemus ad eos, facta oratione cum ipsis, eulogias nobis dare dignati sunt, sicut habent consuetudinem dandi his, quos humane suscipiunt. 2. Ibi ergo inter ecclesiam et monasteria in medio fluit de petra aqua ingens, pulchra ualde et limpida, saporis optimi. Tunc interrogauimus nos etiam et illos sanctos monachos, qui ibi manebant, quae esset haec aqua talis et tanti saporis. Tunc illi dixerunt: ‘Haec est aqua, quam dedit sanctus Moyses filiis Israhel in hac heremo.’ 3. Facta est ergo iuxta consuetudinem ibi oratio et lectio ipsa de libris Moysi lecta, dictus etiam psalmus unus; et sic simul cum illis sanctis clericis et monachis, qui nobis cum uenerant, perexiuimus ad montem. Multi autem et ex ipsis monachis sanctis, qui ibi commanebant iuxta aqua ipsa, qui tamen potuerunt imponere sibi laborem, dignati sunt nobis cum ascendere montem Nabau. 4. Itaque ergo proficiscentes de eodem loco peruenimus ad radicem montis Nabau, qui erat ualde excelsus, ita tamen ut pars eius maxima sedendo in asellis possit subiri; modice autem erat acrius, quod pedibus necesse erat subiri cum labore, sicut et factum est. 12. 1. Peruenimus ergo ad summitatem montis illius, ubi est nunc ecclesia non grandis, in ipsa summitate montis Nabau. Intra quam ecclesiam, in eo loco ubi pulpitus est, uidi locum modice quasi altiorem, tantum hispatii habentem quantum memoriae solent habere.

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7. So, when we had come into that plain, we traveled to that place, and prayer was made there, also some part of Deuteronomy was read in that place, not only his [Moses’s] canticle but also the blessings that he had said over the children of Israel.46 And after the reading prayer was again made, and giving thanks to God, we moved on from there. For it was always our custom that whenever we were about to visit places we desired, first prayer was made there, then the reading was read from the codex, also one psalm relevant to the matter was recited and prayer was made there again. So, by God’s will we have always kept this custom whenever we have been able to arrive at places we desired. 8. Thus, in order that the work we had begun should be finished, we began to hurry to arrive at Mount Nebo. As we went, a presbyter of that place, that is, of Livias, advised us. At our request we had brought him with us from the staging post because he had known the places very well. So the presbyter said to us, ‘If you wish to see the water that flows from the rock,* that is, that Moses gave to the children of Israel when they were thirsty, you can see it if you wish to take on yourselves the labour of turning out of your way at about the sixth milestone.’ 9. When he had said this, we very eagerly longed to go, and immediately turning aside from the road, we followed the presbyter who was leading us. In that place there is a little church below the mountain, not Nebo but another further in; but it is not far from Nebo. Very many truly holy monks, whom they call here ascetics, live there. 11. 1. So these holy monks were gracious enough to receive us very kindly, for they allowed us to go in to greet them. When we had gone in to them and prayer had been made with them, they were gracious enough to give us eulogiae,* as they have the custom to give to those whom they receive kindly. 2. So, there in the middle between the church and the monastic cells flows from a rock abundant water, very beautiful and clear, with excellent taste. Then we also asked those holy monks who lived there what was this water with such a taste. Then they said, ‘This is the water that holy Moses gave to the children of Israel in this desert.’ 3. So, prayer was made there according to custom and the reading from the books of Moses was read,47 one psalm was also recited; and so together with all those holy clergy and monks who had come with us we went out to the mountain. Many of those holy monks also who lived there next to the water, those who were able to take on the labour, were gracious enough to ascend Mount Nebo with us. 4. Thus, setting out from that place, we arrived at the foot of Mount Nebo, which was very high, but such that the greatest part of it could be ascended sitting on donkeys; but a little was steeper, which it was necessary to ascend laboriously on foot; as was also done. 12. 1. So we arrived at the summit of that mountain, where there is now a church, not a large one, on the very summit of Mount Nebo. Inside that church, in the place where the ambo is, I saw a slightly raised place, occupying as much space as graves are accustomed to have.

46 Cf. Dt 33. 47 Probably Ex 17:1–7 or Num 20:1–13.

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2. Tunc ergo interrogaui illos sanctos, quidnam esset hoc; qui responderunt: ‘Hic positus est sanctus Moyses ab angelis, quoniam, sicut scriptum est, sepulturam illius nullus hominum scit; quoniam certum est eum ab angelis fuisse sepultum. Nam memoria illius, ubi positus sit, in hodiernum ostenditur; sicut enim nobis a maioribus, qui hic manserunt, ubi ostensum est, ita et nos uobis monstramus: qui et ipsi tamen maiores ita sibi traditum a maioribus suis esse dicebant.’ 3. Itaque ergo mox facta est oratio, et omnia, quae in singulis locis sanctis per ordinem consueueramus facere, etiam et hic facta sunt: et sic cepimus egredere de ecclesia. Tunc autem qui erant loci notores, id est presbyteri uel monachi sancti, dixerunt nobis: ‘Si uultis uidere loca, quae scripta sunt in libris Moysi, accedite foras hostium ecclesiae et de summitate ipsa, ex parte tamen ut possunt hinc parere, attendite et uidete, et dicimus uobis singula, quae sunt loca haec, quae parent.’ 4. Tunc nos gauisi satis statim egressi sumus foras. Nam de hostio ipsius ecclesiae uidimus locum ubi intrat Iordanis in mare Mortuum, qui locus subter nos, quemadmodum stabamus, parebat. Vidimus etiam de contra non solum Libiadam, quae citra Iordanem erat, sed et Iericho, que trans Iordanem: tantum eminebat excelsus locus ubi stabamus, id est ante hostium ecclesiae. 5. Maxima etiam pars Palestinae, quae est terra repromissionis, inde uidebatur, nec non et omnis terra Iordanis, in quantum tamen poterat oculis conspici. In sinistra autem parte uidimus terras Sodomitum omnes nec non et Segor, quae tamen Segor sola de illis quinque in hodie constat. 6. Nam et memoriale ibi est; de ceteris autem illis ciuitatibus nichil aliud apparet nisi subuersio ruinarum, quemadmodum in cinerem conuerse sunt. Locus etiam, ubi fuit titulus uxoris Loth, ostensus est nobis, qui locus etiam in Scripturis legitur. 7. Sed mihi credite, domine uenerabiles, quia columna ipsa iam non paret, locus autem ipse tantum ostenditur: columna autem ipsa dicitur mari Mortuo fuisse quooperta. Certe locum cum uideremus, columnam nullam uidimus, et ideo fallere uos super hanc rem non possum. Nam episcopus loci ipsius, id est de Segor, dixit nobis quoniam iam aliquot anni essent, a quo non pareret columna illa. Nam de Segor forsitan sexto miliario ipse locus est, ubi stetit columna illa, quod nunc totum cooperit aqua. 8. Item de dextra parte ecclesiae, a foras tamen, accessimus, et ostense sunt nobis inde a contra duae ciuitates, id est Esebon, quae fuit regis Seon regis Amorreorum, quae nunc appellatur Exebon, et alia Og regis Basan, quae nunc dicitur Safdra. Item de eodem loco ostensa est nobis a contra Fogor, quae fuit ciuitas regni Edom.

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2.So, I then asked those holy ones what this was; they replied, ‘Holy Moses was placed here by the angels, because, as it is written, no one knows his burial,48 because it is certain that he was buried by the angels. For his grave, where he was laid, is shown to this day; for as the place was shown to us by our predecessors who lived here, so also we point it out to you; and our predecessors said that it had been handed down to them by their predecessors.’ 3. Thus, prayer was soon made and everything that we had been accustomed to do in order in each of the holy places was also done here; and so we began to go out of the church. Then those who knew the place, that is, the presbyters and holy monks, said to us, ‘If you wish to see the places that are written in the books of Moses, come outside the door of the church and pay heed and see from the summit, but from the side that they can be visible from here, and we will tell you what all these places are that are visible.’ 4. Then we were very pleased and immediately went outside. For from the door of that church we saw the place where the Jordan enters the Dead Sea; the place was visible below us as we stood. We also saw from the other side* not only Livias, which was this side of the Jordan, but also Jericho, which was across the Jordan, so high did the place where we stood rise, that is, before the door of the church. 5. The greatest part of Palestine, which is the land of promise,49 was seen from there, as well as the whole land of Jordan, at least as much as could be seen with the eyes. On the left side we saw all the lands of the Sodomites as well as Segor; but Segor alone of those five [cities] remains today. 6. For there is a monument there, but of the rest of those cities nothing else appears except a heap of ruins, as they were turned to ashes.50 The place where there was the inscription of Lot’s wife was also shown to us—the place is also read in the Scriptures.51 7. But believe me, revered ladies, that the pillar itself is not visible, but only the place is shown: the pillar itself is said to have been covered over by the Dead Sea. Certainly when we saw the place, we did not see the pillar, and so I cannot deceive you over this matter. For the bishop of that place, that is, of Segor, told us that it has already been some years that the pillar has not been visible. For from Segor that place where the pillar stood, which the water has now completely covered, is about six miles. 8. Then we went to the right side of the church, but outside, and there were shown to us from there on the other side* two cities, that is, Heshbon, which belonged to King Sihon, king of the Amorites,52 which is now called Exebon, and the other to Og, king of Bashan,53 which is now called Safdra. Then from the same place was shown to us on the other side* Fogor,54 which was a city of the kingdom of Edom.

48 LXX Dt 34:6. 49 Heb 11:9. 50 Cf. Gen 19:20–25 (LXX Segor = Zohar). 51 Cf. Gen 19:26. 52 Cf. Num 21:26. 53 Cf. Num 21:33. 54 = Peor, Num 23:28; but cf. Gen 36:39.

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9. Hae autem ciuitates omnes, quas uidebamus, in montibus erant positae, infra autem, modice deorsum, planior locus nobis uidebatur. Tunc dictum est nobis quia in isdem diebus, qua sanctus Moyses uel filii Israhel contra illas ciuitates pugnauerant, castra ibi fixa habuissent: nam et signa ibi parebant castrorum. 10. Sane de illa parte montis, quam dixi sinistra, quae erat super mare Mortuum, ostensus est nobis mons precisus ualde, qui dictus est ante agri specula. Hic est mons, in quo posuit Balac filius Beor Balaam diuinum ad maledicendos filios Israhel et noluit Deus ita permittere, sicut scriptum est. 11. Ac sic ergo uisis omnibus, quae desiderabamus, in nomine Dei reuertentes per Iericho et iter omne, quod iueramus, regressi sumus in Ierusolimam. 13. 1. Item post aliquantum tempus uolui etiam ad regionem Ausitidem accedere propter uisendam memoriam sancti Iob gratia orationis. Multos enim sanctos monachos uidebam inde uenientes in Ierusolimam ad uisenda loca sancta gratia orationis, qui singula referentes de eisdem locis fecerunt magis desiderium imponendi michi laboris, ut etiam usque ad illa loca accederem, si tamen labor dici potest, ubi homo desiderium suum compleri uidet. 2. Itaque ergo profecta sum de Ierusolima cum sanctis, qui tamen dignati sunt itineri meo comitatum prestare, et ipsi tamen gratia orationis. Habens ergo iter ab Ierusolima usque ad Carneas eundo per mansiones octo—Carneas autem dicitur nunc ciuitas Iob, quae ante dicta est Dennaba in terra Ausitidi, in finibus Idumeae et Arabiae—: in quo itinere hiens uidi super ripam fluminis Iordanis uallem pulchram satis et amenam, habundantem uineis et arboribus, quoniam aquae multe ibi erant et optimae satis. 3. Nam in ea ualle uicus erat grandis, qui appellatur nunc Sedima. In eo ergo uico, qui est in media planitie positus, in medio loco est monticulus non satis grandis, sed factus sicut solent esse tumbae, sed grandes: ibi ergo in summo ecclesia est et deorsum per girum ipsius colliculi parent fundamenta grandia antiqua; nunc autem in ipso uico turbae aliquantae commanent. 4. Ego autem cum uiderem locum tam gratum, requisiui, quisnam locus esset ille tam amenus. Tunc dictum est michi: ‘Haec et ciuitas regis Melchisedech, quae dicta est ante Salem, unde nunc, corrupto sermone, Sedima appellatur ipse uicus. Nam in isto colliculo, qui est medio uico positus, in summitatem ipsius fabricam, quam uides, ecclesia est, quae ecclesia nunc appellatur greco sermone opu Melchisedech. Nam hic est locus ubi optulit Melchisedech hostias Deo puras, id est panes et uinum, sicut scriptum est eum fecisse.’

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9. All these cities that we saw were located in the mountains, but a little down below the place seemed to us to be more level. Then we were told that in those days when holy Moses and the children of Israel had fought against those cities,55 they had fixed their camp there; for signs of the camp were also visible there. 10. Indeed, on that side of the mountain that I said [was] on the left, which was above the Dead Sea, there was shown to us a very steep mountain that was called previously Viewpoint of the field.56 This is the mountain where Balak, the son of Beor, placed Balaam the diviner to curse the children of Israel and God was unwilling to allow it, as it is written.57 11. Thus, having seen everything that we desired, returning in the name of God through Jericho and the whole route by which we had come, we came back to Jerusalem. 13. 1. Then after some time I wished also to go to the region of Ausitis58 in order to see the grave of holy Job for the sake of prayer. For I used to see many holy monks from there coming to Jerusalem to see the holy places for the sake of prayer; when they informed me all about those places, they increased my desire to take upon me the labour of also going to those places, if it can be called labour where someone sees their desire fulfilled. 2. Thus, I set out from Jerusalem with the holy ones who were gracious enough to give me their company on my journey, they themselves also [going] for the sake of prayer. So, making my way from Jerusalem as far as Carneas, going through eight staging posts—the city of Job is now called Carneas, which before was called Dinhaba,59 in the land of Ausitis, on the borders of Idumaea and Arabia.60 Going on this route, I saw on the bank of the River Jordan a very beautiful and pleasant valley, abounding in vines and trees because there was plenty of excellent water there. 3. For in that valley was a large village that is now called Sedima. So, in that village, which is located in the middle of a plain, is in the centre a little hill of no great size, but shaped like tombs are accustomed to be, but large; so, there on the top is a church and below, around the hill, are visible large ancient foundations, but in the village itself some crowds* now remain. 4. When I saw such a pleasing place, I asked what such a pleasant place was. Then I was told, ‘This is the city of King Melchizedek, which was previously called Salem; from this through the corruption of language the village is now called Sedima. For on that little hill that is located in the middle of the village, on its summit the building that you see is a church, which is now called in the Greek language opu Melchizedek.* For this is the place where Melchizedek offered pure victims to God, that is, bread and wine, as it is written that he did.’61

55 56 57 58 59 60 61

Cf. Num 21:21–35; Dt 2:24–3:11. LXX Num 23:14. Cf. Num 22–24. LXX Job 1:1 = Uz. Gen 36:32; 1 Chr 1:43. LXX Job 42:17 (Syriac appendix). Cf. Gen 14:18.

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14. 1. Statim ergo ut haec audiui, descendimus de animalibus, et ecce occurrere dignatus est sanctus presbyter ipsius loci et clerici; qui nos statim suscipientes duxerunt suso ad ecclesiam. Vbi cum uenissemus, statim iuxta consuetudinem primum facta est oratio, deinde lectus est ipse locus de libro sancti Moysi, dictus est etiam psalmus unus competens loco ipsi, et denuo facta oratione descendimus. 2. Cum ergo descendissemus, ait nobis ille sanctus presbyter iam senior et de Scripturis bene instructus, id est qui ipsi loco preerat ex monacho cui presbytero et episcopi plurimi, quantum postmodum cognouimus, uitae ipsius testimonium grande ferebant, nam hoc de ipso dicebant, dignus qui presit in hoc loco ubi sanctus Melchisedech, aduenientem sanctum Abraam, hostias Deo puras primus optulit: cum ergo descendissemus, ut superius dixi, de ecclesia deorsum, ait nobis ipse sanctus presbyter: ‘Ecce ista fundamenta in giro colliculo isto, quae uidetis, hae sunt de palatio regis Melchisedech. Nam inde adhuc sic si quis subito iuxta sibi uult facere domum et fundamenta inde continget, aliquotiens et de argento et heramento modica frustella ibi inuenit. 3. Nam ecce ista uia, quam uidetis transire inter fluuium Iordanem et uicum istum, haec est qua uia regressus est sanctus Abraam de cede Quodollagomor et regis gentium reuertens in Sodomis, qua ei occurrit sanctus Melchisedech rex Salem.’ 15. 1. Tunc ergo, quia retinebam scriptum esse babtizasse sanctum Iohannem in Enon iuxta Salim, requisiui de eo, quam longe esset ipse locus. Tunc ait ille sanctus presbyter: ‘Esse hic est in ducentis passibus. Nam si uis, ecce modo pedibus duco uos ibi. Nam haec aqua tam grandis et tam pura, quam uidetis in isto uico, de ipso fonte uenit.’ 2. Tunc ergo gratias ei agere coepi et rogare ut duceret nos ad locum, sicut et factum est. Statim ergo cepimus ire cum eo pedibus totum per uallem amenissimam, donec perueniremus usque ad hortum pomarium ualde amenum, ubi ostendit nobis in medio fontem aquae optime satis et pure, qui a semel integrum fluuium dimittebat. Habebat autem ante se ipse fons quasi lacum, ubi parebat fuisse operatum sanctum Iohannem Baptistam. 3. Tunc dixit nobis ipse sanctus presbyter: ‘In hodie hic hortus aliter non appellatur greco sermone nisi cepos tu agiu Iohanni, id est quod uos dicitis latine hortus sancti Iohannis.’ Nam et multi fratres sancti monachi de diuersis locis uenientes tendunt se, ut lauentur in eo loco. 4. Denuo ergo et ad ipsum fontem, sicut et in singulis locis, facta est oratio et lecta est ipsa lectio; dictus etiam psalmus competens, et singula, quae consuetudinis nobis erant facere, ubicumque ad loca sancta ueniebamus, ita et ibi fecimus.

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14. 1. So, as soon as I heard this, we dismounted from the animals, and behold, the holy presbyter of that place and the clergy were gracious enough to meet us, and receiving us, immediately led us up to the church. When we had come there, immediately according to custom prayer was first made, then the passage from the book of holy Moses was read,62 one psalm relevant to that place was recited, and then after prayer was made, we came down. 2. So, when we had come down, that holy presbyter spoke to us. He was already old and well instructed in the Scriptures, that is, he had been in charge of that place after having been a monk and, as we learned afterwards, very many bishops also bore great witness to his life as a presbyter, for they said this about him, [that he was] worthy to be in charge of that place where holy Melchizedek was the first to offer pure victims to God when holy Abraham came. So, when we came down from the church, as I said above, that holy presbyter said to us: ‘Behold, these foundations around this little hill that you see, these are from the palace of King Melchizedek. For from then till now if any wish to make a house for themselves close nearby and they hit the foundations from there, they will sometimes also find small fragments of silver and bronze there. 3. For behold, that road that you see going between the River Jordan and this village, this is the road by which holy Abraham came back from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, king of nations, returning to Sodom, where holy Melchizedek, king of Salem, met him.’63 15. 1. Then, because I remembered that it is written that holy John had baptized in Aenon near Salim,64 I asked how far away that place was. Then that holy presbyter said, ‘Behold, it is within two hundred paces. For if you wish, behold, I will straightaway lead you on foot there. For this abundant pure water that you see in this village comes from that spring.’ 2. Then I began to thank him and to ask him to lead us to the place; as was also done. So we immediately began to go with him on foot all through the most pleasant valley until we came to a very pleasant orchard garden, where he showed us in the middle a spring of excellent pure water that sent out a single continuous stream. The spring had in front of it as it were a pool, where it appeared that holy John the Baptist had ministered. 3. Then that holy presbyter said to us, ‘To this day this garden is called in the Greek language nothing other than cepos tu agiu Iohanni,* that is, as you say in Latin, the garden of holy John.’ For many brothers, holy monks, coming from various places, head here to wash in that place. 4. Then at that spring, as also in every place, prayer was made and the reading read, a suitable psalm was also recited and we also did there everything that it was our custom to do wherever we came to holy places.

62 Probably Gen 14:18–20, or more from that chapter. 63 Cf. Gen 14:17–18. 64 Cf. Jn 3:23.

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5. Illud etiam presbyter sanctus dixit nobis, eo quod usque in hodierna die semper cata Pascha, quicumque essent baptizandi in ipso uico, id est in ecclesia, quae appellatur opu melchisedech, omnes in ipso fonte baptizarentur, sic redirent mature ad candelas cum clericis et monachis dicendo psalmos uel antiphonas et sic a fonte usque ad ecclesiam sancti Melchisedech deducerentur mature omnes, qui fuissent baptizati. 6. Nos ergo accipientes de presbytero eulogias, id est de pomario sancti Iohannis Baptistae, similiter et de sanctis monachis, qui ibi monasteria habebant in ipso horto pomario, et gratias semper Deo agentes, profecti sumus iter nostrum, quo ibamus. 16. 1. Ac sic ergo euntes aliquandiu per uallem Iordanis super ripam fluminis ipsius, quia ibi nobis iter erat aliquandiu, ad subito uidimus ciuitatem sancti prophetae Heliae, id est Thesbe, unde ille habuit nomen Helias Thesbites. Inibi est ergo usque in hodie spelunca, in qua sedit ipse sanctus, et ibi est memoria sancti Gethae, cuius nomen in libris Iudicum legimus. 2. Ac sic ergo et ibi gratias Deo agentes iuxta consuetudinem, perexiuimus iter nostrum. Item euntes in eo itinere uidimus uallem de sinistro nobis uenientem amenissimam, quae uallis erat ingens, mittens torrentem in Iordanem infinitum. Et ibi in ipsa ualle uidimus monasterium cuiusdam, fratris nunc, id est monachi. 3. Tunc ego, ut sum satis curiosa, requirere cepi, quae esset haec uallis ubi sanctus, monachus nunc, monasterium sibi fecisset; non enim putabam hoc sine causa esse. Tunc dixerunt nobis sancti, qui nobis cum iter faciebant, id est loci notores: ‘Haec est uallis Corra, ubi sedit sanctus Helias Thesbites temporibus Achab regis, qua famis fuit, et iusso dei coruus ei escam portabat, et de eo torrente aquam bibebat. Nam hic torrens, quem uides de ipsa ualle percurrentem in Iordanem, hic est Corra.’ 4. Ac sic ergo nichilominus Deo gratias agentes, qui nobis non merentibus, singula, quae desiderabamus, dignabatur ostendere, itaque ergo ire cepimus iter nostrum sicut singulis diebus. Ac sic ergo facientes iter singulis diebus, ad subito de latere sinistro, unde e contra partes Fenicis uidebamus, apparuit nobis mons ingens et altus infinitum, qui tendebatur in longo …



5. … qui sanctus monachus, uir ascitis, necesse habuit post tot annos, quibus sedebat in heremum, mouere se et descendere ad ciuitatem Carneas, ut commoneret episcopum uel clericos temporis ipsius, iuxta quod ei fuerat reuelatum, ut foderent in eo loco, qui ei fuerat ostensus, sicut et factum est.

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5. The holy presbyter also told us that down to the present day at Pascha all those who were to be baptized in that village, that is, in the church that is called opu Melchizedek, were always baptized in that spring, then they returned early by candlelight with the clergy and monks, reciting psalms and antiphons; and thus all who had been baptized were led early from the spring to the church of holy Melchizedek. 6. So, receiving from the presbyter eulogiae,* that is, from the orchard of holy John the Baptist, similarly also from the holy monks who had monastic cells there in that orchard garden, and constantly giving thanks to God, we set out on our way that we were going. 16. 1. Thus, going for a while through the valley of the Jordan along the bank of that river, as our route was there for a while, we suddenly saw the city of the holy prophet Elijah, that is, Tishbe, from which he had the name of Elijah the Tishbite.65 There down to this day is the cave in which that holy one sat, and there is the grave of holy Jephtha, whose name we read in the book of Judges.66 2. Thus, also giving thanks to God there according to custom, we continued our route. Then going on that route, we saw a most pleasant valley coming to us on the left. The valley was immense, sending a great stream into the Jordan. And there in that valley we saw the cell of a certain brother now, that is, a monk. 3. Then, as I am very curious, I began to ask what was this valley where the holy monk had now made a cell; for I did not think this was without a reason. Then the holy ones who were making the journey with us, that is, knowing the place, said to us, ‘This is the valley of Corra, where holy Elijah the Tishbite lived in the time of King Ahab, when there was a famine and at God’s bidding a raven used to bring him food and he used to drink water from that stream.67 For this stream that you see flowing from that valley into the Jordan, this is Corra.’ 4. Thus, once again giving thanks to God who was gracious enough to show us, undeserving ones, everything that we desired, we began to go on our journey as on other days. Thus, making our journey each day, there suddenly appeared on the left side, from where on the other side we saw parts of Phoenicia, a huge and immensely high mountain that extended in length … [A folio is missing here: see Appendix A, ‘Fragmentary Texts’, 104-06.]

5. … This holy monk, an ascetic man, found it necessary, after so many years in which he lived in the desert, to move and go down to the city of Carneas in order to advise the bishop and clergy of that time, according to what had been revealed to him, that they should dig in that place that had been shown to him; as it was also done.

65 1 Kgs 17:1. 66 Cf. Jdg 11:1–12:7. 67 Cf. 1 Kgs 17:1–6; Corra = Cherith.

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6. Qui fodientes in eo loco, qui ostensus fuerat, inuenerunt speluncam, quam sequentes fuerunt forsitan per passus centum, quo ad subito, fodientibus illis, adparuit lapis: quem lapidem cum perdiscoperuissent, inuenerunt sculptum in coperculo ipsius Iob. Cui Iob ad tunc in eo loco facta est ista ecclesia, quam uidetis, ita tamen ut lapis cum corpore non moueretur in alio loco, sed ibi, ubi inuentum fuerat, corpus positum esset, et ut corpus subter altarium iaceret. Illa autem ecclesia, quam tribunus nescio qui faciebat, sic stat inperfecta usque in hodie. 7. Ac sic ergo nos alia die mane rogauimus episcopum ut faceret oblationem, sicut et facere dignatus est, et benedicens nos episcopus profecti sumus. Communicantes ergo et ibi, gratias agentes Deo semper, regressi sumus in Ierusolimam, iter facientes per singulas mansiones, per quas ieramus tres annos. 17. 1. Item in nomine Dei, transacto aliquanto tempore, cum iam tres anni pleni essent, a quo in Ierusolimam uenisse, uisis etiam omnibus locis sanctis, ad quos orationis gratia me tenderam, et ideo iam reuertendi ad patriam animus esset: uolui, iubente Deo, ut et ad Mesopotamiam Syriae accedere ad uisendos sanctos monachos, qui ibi plurimi et tam eximiae uitae esse dicebantur, ut uix referri possit; nec non etiam et gratia orationis ad martyrium sancti Thomae apostoli, ubi corpus illius integrum positum est, id est apud Edessam, quem se illuc missurum, posteaquam in caelis ascendisset, Deus noster Iesus testatus est per epistolam, quam ad Aggarum regem per Ananiam cursorem misit, que epistola cum grandi reuerentia apud Edessam ciuitatem, ubi est ipsud martyrium, custoditur. 2. Nam mihi credat uolo affectio uestra, quoniam nullus christianorum est, qui non se tendat illuc gratia orationis, quicumque tamen usque ad loca sancta, id est in Ierusolimis, accesserit; et hic locus de Ierusolima uicesima et quinta mansione est. 3. Et quoniam de Anthiocia propius est Mesopotamiam, fuit mihi iubente Deo oportunum satis ut, quemadmodum reuertebar Constantinopolim, quia per Anthiociam iter erat, inde ad Mesopotamiam irem, sicut et factum est Deo iubente. 18. 1. Itaque ergo in nomine Christi Dei nostri profecta sum de Antiochia ad Mesopotamiam habens iter per mansiones seu ciuitates aliquot prouinciae Sirie Celen, quae est Anthiociae, et inde ingressa fines prouinciae Augustofratensis, perueni ad ciuitatem Gerapolim, quae est metropolis ipsius prouinciae, id est Augustofratensis. Et quoniam haec ciuitas ualde pulchra et opulenta est atque abundans omnibus, necesse me fuit ibi facere statiuam, quoniam iam inde non longe erant fines Mesopotamiae. 2. Itaque ergo proficiscens de Ierapolim in quintodecimo miliario in nomine Dei perueni ad fluuium Eufraten, de quo satis bene scriptum est esse flumen magnum Eufraten et ingens, et quasi terribilis est; ita enim decurrit habens impetum, sicut habet fluuius Rodanus, nisi quod adhuc maior est Eufrates.

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6. When they dug in the place that had been shown, they found a cave; they followed it for about a hundred paces, when suddenly as they dug, a tombstone became visible; when they had completely uncovered the tombstone, they found carved on its cover ‘Job.’ To this Job the church that you see was then built in that place, but in such a way that the tombstone with the body was not moved to another place but located there where the body had been found and that the body should lie under the altar. But that church, which an unknown tribune built, stands thus unfinished to this day.’ 7. Thus, the next morning we asked the bishop to make the oblation, as he also was gracious enough to do, and with the bishop blessing us we set out. So, receiving Communion there also, constantly giving thanks to God, we returned to Jerusalem, making our way through each of the staging posts through which we had gone for three years.* 17. 1. Then in the name of God, having passed some time, when there had now been three full years since I came to Jerusalem, also having seen all the holy places to which I had headed for the sake of prayer, my intention was to return to my country. I wished, God willing, to go also to Mesopotamia of Syria to see the holy monks who were said to be very numerous there and of such exemplary life as could hardly be described, as well as for the sake of prayer at the martyrium of holy Thomas the Apostle, where his entire body is laid, that is, at Edessa. Our God Jesus promised in a letter* that he sent to King Abgar by the messenger Ananias that he would send him there after he had ascended into heaven. This letter is kept with great reverence in the city of Edessa, where the martyrium is. 2. For I wish your affection to believe me that there is no Christian who has arrived at the holy places, that is, in Jerusalem, who does not head there for the sake of prayer, and this place is at the twenty-fifth staging post from Jerusalem. 3. And as Mesopotamia is nearer from Antioch, it was very convenient for me, God willing, that, as I was returning to Constantinople, because the route was through Antioch, I should go from there to Mesopotamia; as was also done by God’s will. 18. 1. Thus, in the name of Christ our God I set out from Antioch to Mesopotamia, having my route through various staging posts and cities of the province of Coele-Syria, which is [the province] of Antioch, and from there having entered the borders of the province of Augustophratensis, I arrived at the city of Hierapolis, which is the capital city of that province, that is, of Augustophratensis. And as this city is very beautiful and rich and abounds in all things, it was necessary for me to make a stop there, as the borders of Mesopotamia were not far from there. 2. So, setting out from Hierapolis, at the fifteenth mile in the name of God I arrived at the River Euphrates, of which it has been very well written that it is the great River Euphrates,68 and it is huge and almost terrifying; for it so flows having a force like the River Rhône has, except the Euphrates is even larger.

68 Gen 15:18.

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3. Itaque ergo quoniam necesse erat eum nauibus transire, et nauibus non nisi maioribus, ac sic immorata sum ibi forsitan plus media die; et inde in nomine Dei transito flumine Eufraten ingressa sum fines Mesopotamiae Siriae. 19. 1. Ac sic denuo faciens iter per mansiones aliquot perueni ad ciuitatem, cuius nomen in Scripturis positum legimus, id est Batanis, quae ciuitas usque in hodie est. Nam et ecclesia cum episcopo uere sancto et monacho et confessore habet, et martyria aliquanta. Ipsa etiam ciuitas habundans multitudine hominum est; nam et miles ibi sedet cum tribuno suo. 2. Vnde denuo proficiscens, peruenimus in nomine Christi Dei nostri Edessam. Vbi cum peruenissemus, statim perreximus ad ecclesiam et ad martyrium sancti Thomae. Itaque ergo iuxta consuetudinem factis orationibus et cetera, quae consuetudo erat fieri in locis sanctis, nec non etiam et aliquanta ipsius sancti Thomae ibi legimus. 3. Ecclesia autem, ibi que est, ingens et ualde pulchra et noua dispositione, ut uere digna est esse domus Dei; et quoniam multa erant, quae ibi desiderabam uidere, necesse me fuit ibi statiua triduana facere. 4. Ac sic ergo uidi in eadem ciuitate martyria plurima nec non et sanctos monachos, commanentes alios per martyria, alios longius de ciuitate in secretioribus locis habentes monasteria. 5. Et quoniam sanctus episcopus ipsius ciuitatis, uir uere religiosus et monachus et confessor, suscipiens me libenter ait michi: ‘Quoniam uideo te, filia, gratia religionis tam magnum laborem tibi imposuisse, ut de extremis porro terris uenires ad haec loca, itaque ergo, si libenter habes, quaecumque loca sunt hic grata ad uidendum Christianis, ostendimus tibi’: tunc ergo gratias agens Deo primum et sic ipsum rogaui plurimum, ut dignaretur facere quod dicebat. 6. Itaque ergo duxit me primum ad palatium Aggari regis et ibi ostendit michi archiotepam ipsius ingens, simillimam, ut ipsi dicebant, marmoream, tanti nitoris ac si de margarita esset; in cuius Aggari uultu parebat de contra uere fuisse hunc uirum satis sapientem et honoratum. Tunc ait mihi sanctus episcopus: ‘Ecce rex Aggarus, qui antequam uideret Dominum, credidit ei, quia esset uere filius Dei.’ Nam erat et iuxta archiotipa similiter de tali marmore facta, quam dixit filii ipsius esse Magni, similiter et ipsa habens aliquid gratiae in uultu. 7. Item perintrauimus in interiori parte palatii; et ibi erant fontes piscibus pleni, quales ego adhuc nunquam uidi, id est tantae magnitudinis et uel tam perlustres aut tam boni saporis. Nam ipsa ciuitas aliam aquam penitus non habet nunc nisi eam, quae de palatio exit, quae est ac si fluuius ingens argenteus. 8. Et tunc retulit michi de ipsa aqua sic sanctus episcopus dicens: ‘Quodam tempore, posteaquam scripserat Aggarus rex ad Dominum et Dominus rescripserat Aggaro per Ananiam cursorem, sicut scriptum est in ipsa epistola: transacto ergo aliquanto tempore superueniunt Perse et girant ciuitatem istam.

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3. Thus, as it was necessary to cross it in boats, and only in large boats, I stayed there for more than about half a day; and from there having crossed the River Euphrates, in the name of God I entered the borders of Mesopotamia of Syria. 19. 1. So, making my way then through several staging posts, I arrived at a city, the name of which we read stated in Scripture, that is, Batanis;69 this city exists to this day. For it has both a church with a truly holy bishop, both a monk and a confessor, and several martyria. The city also abounds in the number of people; for the military are stationed there with their tribune. 2. Then, setting out from there, we arrived in the name of Christ our God at Edessa. When we had arrived there, we immediately proceeded to the church and to the martyrium of holy Thomas. So, according to custom having made prayers and the rest that was the custom to do in holy places, we also read there something from holy Thomas himself. 3. The church that is there is huge and very beautiful and of new construction, so that it is truly worthy to be a house of God; and as there were many things that I desired to see there, it was necessary for me to make a three-day stop there. 4. Thus, I saw in that city very many martyria as well as holy monks, some living by the martyria, others having their cells further from the city in more secluded places. 5. And the holy bishop of that city, a truly pious man, both a monk and a confessor, receiving me willingly, said to me, ‘As I see, daughter, that you have taken on yourself such great labour for the sake of piety that you have come to these places from the farthest distant lands, therefore, if you are willing, we will show you whatever places here are pleasant for Christians to see.’ Then, giving thanks to God first, I asked him very much that he would be gracious enough to do as he said. 6. Thus, he led me first to the palace of King Abgar and there showed me a huge statue of him, very much like him, as they said, of marble, of such lustre as if it were made of pearl. In Abgar’s face from the front* it appeared that this man had been very wise and honourable. Then the holy bishop said to me, ‘Behold King Abgar, who before he saw the Lord, believed in him, that he was truly the Son of God.’ For there was also nearby a statue similarly made of the same marble, which he said was of his son Magnus, and similarly also having something of grace in the face. 7. Then we went into the inner part of the palace; and there were springs full of fish, such as I never saw before, that is, of such size, and so bright and of such a good taste. For the city has no other water at all now except that which comes out of the palace, which is like a huge silver river. 8. And then the holy bishop told me about the water, saying, ‘At some time after King Abgar had written to the Lord and the Lord had replied to Abgar by the messenger Ananias, as is written in the letter itself,* after some time had passed the Persians came against the city and surrounded it. 69 ? = Beten, Jos 19:25.

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9. Sed statim Aggarus epistolam Domini ferens ad portam cum omni exercitu suo publice orauit. Et post dixit: “Domine Iesu, tu promiseras nobis, ne aliquis hostium ingrederetur ciuitatem istam, et ecce nunc Persae inpugnant nos.” Quod cum dixisset tenens manibus leuatis epistolam ipsam apertam rex, ad subito tantae tenebrae factae sunt, foras ciuitatem tamen ante oculos Persarum, cum iam prope plicarent ciuitati, ita ut usque tertium miliarium de ciuitate essent: sed ita mox tenebris turbati sunt, ut uix castra ponerent et pergirarent in miliario tertio totam ciuitatem. 10. Ita autem turbati sunt Persae, ut nunquam uiderent postea qua parte in ciuitate ingrederentur, sed custodirent ciuitatem per giro clusam hostibus, in miliario tamen tertio, quam tamen custodierunt mensibus aliquod. 11. Postmodum autem, cum uiderent se nullo modo posse ingredi in ciuitatem, uoluerunt siti eos occidere, qui in ciuitate erant. Nam monticulum istum, quem uides, filia, super ciuitate hac, in illo tempore ipse huic ciuitati aquam ministrabat. Tunc uidentes hoc Persae auerterunt ipsam aquam a ciuitate et fecerunt ei decursum contra ipso loco, ubi ipsi castra posita habebant. 12. In ea ergo die et in ea hora, qua auerterant Persae aquam, statim hii fontes, quos uides, in eo loco, iusso dei a semel eruperunt: ex ea die hi fontes usque in hodie permanent hic gratia Dei. Illa autem aqua, quam Persae auerterant, ita siccata est in ea hora, ut nec ipsi haberent uel una die quod biberent, qui obsedebant ciuitatem, sicut tamen et usque in hodie apparet; nam postea nunquam nec qualiscumque humor ibi apparuit usque in hodie. 13. Ac sic iubente Deo, qui hoc promiserat futurum, necesse fuit eos statim reuerti ad sua, id est in Persida. Nam et postmodum quotienscumque uoluerunt uenire et expugnare hanc ciuitatem hostes, haec epistola prolata est et lecta est in porta, et statim nutu Dei expulsi sunt omnes hostes.’ 14. Illud etiam retulit sanctus episcopus eo quod hii fontes ubi eruperunt, ante sic fuerit campus intra ciuitatem subiacens palatio Aggari. ‘Quod palatium Aggari quasi in editiori loco positum erat, sicut et nunc paret, ut uides. Nam consuetudo talis erat in illo tempore, ut palatia, quotiens que fabricabantur, semper in editioribus locis fierent. 15. Sed postmodum quam hii fontes in eo loco eruperunt, tunc ipse Aggarus filio suo Magno, id est isti, cuius archiotipa uides iuxta patre posita, hoc palatium fecit in eo loco, ita tamen ut hii fontes intra palatium includerentur.’ 16. Postea ergo quam haec omnia retulit sanctus episcopus, ait ad me: ‘Eamus nunc ad portam, per quam ingressus est Ananias cursor cum illa epistola, quam dixeram.’ Cum ergo uenissemus ad portam ipsam, stans episcopus fecit orationem et legit nobis ibi ipsas epistolas et denuo benedicens nos facta est iterato oratio. 17. Illud etiam retulit nobis sanctus ipse dicens eo quod ex ea die, qua Ananias cursor per ipsam portam ingressus est cum epistolam Domini, usque in presentem diem custodiatur, ne quis immundus, ne quis lugubris per ipsam portam transeat, sed nec corpus alicuius mortui eiciatur per ipsam portam.

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9. But immediately Abgar, carrying the letter of the Lord to the gate with all his army, prayed publicly. And he said, “Lord Jesus, you had promised us that no enemy should enter this city, and behold, now the Persians are attacking us.” When the king had said this, holding the letter open in his upraised hands, suddenly such darkness fell, but outside the city before the eyes of the Persians when they were already drawing so near to the city that they were about three miles from the city; but soon they were so confused by the darkness that they scarcely pitched their camp and surrounded the whole city three miles away. 10. The Persians were so confused that they never saw afterwards on which side to enter the city but they kept the city surrounded with troops three miles away, and kept it for several months. 11. But afterwards, when they saw that they could by no means enter the city, they wished to kill with thirst those who were in the city. For that little hill that you see above this city, daughter, at that time supplied water to this city. Then seeing this, the Persians diverted that water from the city and made it run down the opposite way to that place where they had pitched their camp. 12. On that day and at that hour when the Persians had diverted the water, immediately these springs, which you see in that place, at God’s command at once burst forth; from that day until today these springs remain here by the grace of God. But the water that the Persians had diverted dried up at that hour, so that those who were besieging the city did not have anything to drink for even one day, as is also apparent down to this day; for afterwards no moisture whatsoever has ever appeared there down to this day. 13. So, by the will of God who had promised this would be, it was necessary for them immediately to return to their own land, that is, to Persia. For afterwards also, whenever enemies have wanted to come and capture this city, this letter has been brought out and read at the gate, and immediately by the will of God all enemies have been driven back.’ 14. The holy bishop also related that [the place] where these springs burst forth had before been a level place within the city lying below Abgar’s palace. ‘Abgar’s palace had been located in a somewhat elevated place, as is also visible now, as you see. For the custom was such at that time that palaces, whenever they were built, were always in elevated places. 15. But after these springs burst forth in that place, then Abgar himself built this palace in that place for his son Magnus (that is, the one whose statue you see set up next to his father) so that these springs would be included within the palace.’ 16. After the holy bishop had related all this, he said to me, ‘Let us now go to the gate through which the messenger Ananias entered with that letter of which I had spoken.’ So, when we had come to that gate, the bishop, standing, made a prayer and read to us there those letters, and then blessing us, another prayer was made. 17. The holy one also related this to us, saying, ‘From that day when the messenger Ananias entered through that gate with the Lord’s letter down to the present day it has been maintained that no one unclean, no mourner should go through that gate, nor should the body of any dead person be carried out through that gate.’

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18. Ostendit etiam nobis sanctus episcopus memoriam Aggari uel totius familiae ipsius ualde pulchra, sed facta more antiquo. Duxit etiam nos et ad illum palatium superiorem, quod habuerat primitus rex Aggarus, et si qua preterea loca erant, monstrauit nobis. 19. Illud etiam satis mihi grato fuit, ut epistolas ipsas siue Aggari ad Dominum siue Domini ad Aggarum, quas nobis ibi legerat sanctus episcopus, acciperem michi ab ipso sancto. Et licet in patria exemplaria ipsarum haberem, tamen gratius mihi uisum est, ut et ibi eas de ipso acciperem, ne quid forsitan minus ad nos in patria peruenisset; nam uere amplius est, quod hic accepi. Vnde si Deus noster Iesus iusserit et uenero in patria, legitis uos, dominae animae meae. 20. 1. Ac sic ergo facto ibi triduano necesse me fuit adhuc in ante accedere usque ad Charris, quia modo sic dicitur. Nam in Scripturis sanctis dicta est Charra, ubi moratus est sanctus Abraam, sicut scriptum est in Genesi, dicente Domino ad Abraam: Exi de terra tua et de domo patris tui et uade in Charram, et reliqua. 2. Ibi ergo cum uenissem, id est in Charra, ibi statim fui ad ecclesiam, quae est intra ciuitate ipsa. Vidi etiam mox episcopum loci ipsius uere sanctum et hominem Dei, et ipsum et monachum et confessorem, qui mox nobis omnia loca ibi ostendere dignatus est, quae desiderabamus. 3. Nam duxit nos statim ad ecclesiam, quae est foras ciuitatem, in eo loco ubi fuit domus sancti Abrahae, id est in ipsis fundamentis et de ipso lapide, ut tamen dicebat sanctus episcopus. Cum ergo uenissemus in ipsa ecclesia, facta est oratio et lectus ipse locus de Genesi, dictus etiam unus psalmus, et iterata oratione et sic benedicens nos episcopus, egressi sumus foras. 4. Item dignatus est nos ducere ad puteum illum, unde portabat aquam sancta Rebecca. Et ait nobis sanctus episcopus: ‘Ecce puteus unde potauit sancta Rebecca camelos pueri sancti Abrahae, id est Eleazari’, et singula ita nobis dignabatur ostendere. 5. Nam ecclesia, quam dixi foras ciuitatem, dominae sorores uenerabiles, ubi fuit primitus domus Abrahae, nunc et martyrium ibi positum est, id est sancti cuiusdam monachi nomine Helpidi. Hoc autem nobis satis gratum euenit, ut pridie martyrium die ibi ueniremus, id est sancti ipsius Helpidii, nono k. Maias, ad quam diem necesse fuit undique et de omnibus Mesopotamiae finibus omnes monachos in harra descendere, etiam et illos maiores, qui in solitudine sedebant, quos ascites uocant, per diem ipsum, qui ibi satis granditer attenditur, et propter memoriam sancti Abrahae, quia domus ipsius fuit ubi nunc ecclesia est, in qua positum est corpus ipsius sancti martyris.

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18. The holy bishop also showed us the grave of Abgar and of all his family, very beautiful but done in the ancient style. He also led us to that upper palace that King Abgar had had first, and showed us whatever other places there were. 19. It was also very gratifying to me that I should receive for myself from that holy one the letters themselves whether of Abgar to the Lord or of the Lord to Abgar, which the holy bishop had read to us there. And although I had copies of them at home, yet it seemed more gratifying to me that I should also receive them there from him, lest perhaps something less had reached us at home; for what I received here is indeed fuller. If our God Jesus shall will it and I shall come home from here, you will read them, ladies, my souls. 20. 1. Thus, having spent three days there, it was necessary for me to go even further to Carrhae, as it is so called. For in the holy Scriptures it is called Charra, where holy Abraham stayed, as it is written in Genesis, the Lord saying to Abraham, Leave your country and your father’s house and go to Charra, and the rest.70 2. So, when I had come there, that is, to Charra, there I immediately went to the church that is within the city itself. I also soon saw the bishop of that place, truly holy and a man of God, and himself both a monk and a confessor, who was quickly gracious enough to show us all the places there that we desired. 3. For he immediately led us to a church that is outside the city in the place where the house of holy Abraham was, that is, on the same foundations and of the same stone, as the holy bishop said. So, when we had come into that church, prayer was made and that passage from Genesis read, also one psalm was recited, and another prayer was said, and then the bishop blessing us, we went outside. 4. Then he was gracious enough to lead us to the well from which holy Rebecca used to carry water. And the holy bishop said to us, ‘Behold the well from which holy Rebecca watered the camels of holy Abraham’s servant, that is, Eleazar’;71 and so he was gracious enough to show us each thing. 5. For at the church that I said was outside the city, ladies, revered sisters, where originally Abraham’s house was, now a martyrium is also located there, that is, of a certain holy monk by the name of Helpidius. It turned out very gratifyingly for us that we came there the day before the martyr’s day, that is, of holy Helpidius himself, the ninth day before the Kalends of May,* on which day it was necessary for all the monks from everywhere and from all the borders of Mesopotamia to go down to Charra, even also those greater ones who live in solitude, whom they call ascetics, for that day which is marked there with great grandeur, and on account of the memorial of holy Abraham, as it was his house where is now the church in which is placed that holy martyr’s body.

70 Gen 12:1. 71 Cf. Gen 24:15–20.

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6. Itaque ergo hoc nobis ultra spem grate satis euenit, ut sanctos et uere homines dei monachos Mesopotamenos ibi uideremus, etiam et eos, quorum fama uel uita longe audiebatur, quos tamen non estimabam me penitus posse uidere, non quia inpossibile esset Deo etiam et hoc prestare michi, qui omnia prestare dignabatur, sed quia audieram eos, eo quod extra diem Paschae et extra diem hanc non eos descendere de locis suis, quoniam tales sunt ut et uirtutes faciant multas, et quoniam nesciebam, quo mense esset dies hic martyrii, quem dixi. Itaque Deo iubente sic euenit, ut ad diem, quem nec sperabam, ibi uenirem. 7. Fecimus ergo et ibi biduum propter diem martyrii et propter uisionem sanctorum illorum, qui dignati sunt ad salutandum libenti satis animo me suscipere et alloqui, in quo ego non merebar. Nam et ipsi statim post martyrii diem nec uisi sunt ibi, sed mox de nocte petierunt heremum et unusquisque eorum monasteria sua, qui ubi habebat. 8. In ipsa autem ciuitatem extra paucos clericos et sanctos monachos, si qui tamen in ciuitate commorantur, penitus nullum Christianum inueni, sed totum gentes sunt. Nam sicut nos cum grandi reuerentia attendimus locum illum ubi primitus domus sancti Abrahae fuit, pro memoria illius, ita et illae gentes forte ad mille passus de ciuitate cum grandi reuerentia adtendunt locum, ubi sunt memoriae Naor et Bathuhelis. 9. Et quoniam episcopus illius ciuitatis ualde instructus est de Scripturis, requisiui ab eo dicens: ‘Rogo te, domine, ut dicas michi, quod desidero audire.’ Et ille ait: ‘Dic, filia, quod uis, et dicam tibi, si scio.’ Tunc ego dixi: ‘Sanctum Abraam cum patre Thara et Sarra uxore et Loth fratris filio scio per Scripturas in eo loco uenisse; Naor autem uel Bathuhelem non legi quando in isto loco transierint, nisi quod hoc solum scio, quia postmodum puer Abraae, ut peteret Rebeccam filiam Bathuhelis filii Nahor filio domini sui Abraae, id est Ysaac, in Charra uenerit.’ 10. Tunc ait michi sanctus episcopus: ‘Vere, filia, scriptum est, sicut dicis, in Genesi sanctum Abraam hic transisse cum suis; Nachor autem cum suis uel Bathuhelem non dicit Scriptura canonis, quo tempore transierint. Sed manifeste postmodum hic transierunt et ipsi; denique et memoriae illorum hic sunt forte ad mille passus de ciuitate. Nam uere Scriptura hoc testatur, quoniam ad accipiendam sanctam Rebeccam huc uenerit puer sancti Abraae, et denuo sanctus Iacob hic uenerit, quando accepit filias Laban Syri.’ 11. Tunc ego requisiui ubi esset puteus ille ubi sanctus Iacob potasset pecora, quae pascebat Rachel filia Laban Siri. Et ait mihi episcopus: ‘In sexto miliario est hinc locus ipse iuxta uicum, qui fuit tunc uilla Laban Siri, sed cum uolueris ire, imus te cum et ostendimus tibi, nam et multi monachi ibi sunt ualde sancti et ascites et sancta ecclesia est ibi.’

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6. Thus, it turned out very gratifying beyond expectation for us that we saw there holy monks of Mesopotamia, truly men of God and also those whose reputation and way of life were heard about far away, but whom I did not think I would ever be able to see, not because it was impossible for God, who was gracious enough to grant all things, to grant this also to me, but I had heard that they did not come down from their places except for the day of Pascha and except for this day, both because they are such that they do many wonders, and because I did not know in which month was the day of this martyr whom I have spoken about. And so at God’s will it turned out that I came there on a day that I did not expect. 7. So we stayed there two days for the sake of the martyr’s day and for the sake of seeing those holy ones, who were gracious enough to receive me very willingly, to greet me and to address me, which I did not deserve. For they were not seen there immediately after the martyr’s day but soon in the night sought the desert and each of them their cells where they lived. 8. In that city, apart from a few clergy and holy monks, if any live in the city, I found no Christian person at all, but they are entirely pagan. For as we venerate with great reverence that place where originally holy Abraham’s house was for the sake of his memorial, so also about a thousand paces from the city those pagans venerate with great reverence the place where the graves of Nahor and Bethuel are. 9. And because the bishop of that city was well instructed in the Scriptures, I asked him, saying, ‘I ask you, my lord, to tell me what I desire to hear’, and he said, ‘Say, daughter, what you wish, and I will tell you, if I know.’ Then I said, ‘I know from the Scriptures that holy Abraham came to this place with his father Terah and Sarah his wife and Lot his brother’s son;72 but I have not read when Nahor and Bethuel came to this place, except that this alone I know, that afterward Abraham’s servant came to Charra to search for Rebecca, the daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, for the son of his master Abraham, that is, Isaac.’73 10. Then the holy bishop said to me, ‘Truly, daughter, it is written, as you say, in Genesis that holy Abraham came here with his family, but canonical Scripture does not say when Nahor with his family or Bethuel passed this way. But plainly they also did pass this way afterward; indeed their graves are also here, about a thousand paces from the city. For truly Scripture testifies to this, that the servant of holy Abraham came here to take away holy Rebecca and then holy Jacob came here when he took the daughters of Laban the Syrian.’74 11. Then I asked where was the well where holy Jacob watered the flocks that Rachel, the daughter of Laban the Syrian, was feeding. And the bishop said to me, ‘Six miles from here is the place, next to the village that was then the farm of Laban the Syrian, but when you wish to go, we will go with you and show you, for many very holy monks and ascetics are both there, and a holy church is there.’

72 Cf. Gen 11:31. 73 Cf. Gen 24. 74 Cf. Gen 29.

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12. Illud etiam requisiui a sancto episcopo, ubinam esset locus ille Chaldeorum ubi habitauerant primo Thara cum suis. Tunc ait mihi ipse sanctus episcopus: ‘Locus ille, filia, quem requiris, decima mansione est hinc intus in Persida. Nam hinc usque ad Nisibin mansiones sunt quinque, et inde usque ad Hur, quae fuit ciuitas haldeorum, aliae mansiones sunt quinque; sed modo ibi accessus Romanorum non est, totum enim illud Persae tenent. Haec autem pars specialiter orientalis appellatur, quae est in confinium Romanorum et Persarum uel Chaldeorum.’ 13. Et cetera plura referre dignatus est, sicut et ceteri sancti episcopi uel sancti monachi facere dignabantur, omnia tamen de Scripturis Dei uel sanctis uiris gesta, id est monachis, siue qui iam recesserant, quae mirabilia fecerint, siue etiam qui adhuc in corpore sunt, quae cotidie faciant, hi tamen qui sunt ascites. Nam nolo estimet affectio uestra monachorum aliquando alias fabulas esse nisi aut de Scripturis Dei aut gesta monachorum maiorum. 21. 1. Post biduo autem, quam ibi feceram, duxit nos episcopus ad puteum illum ubi adaquauerat sanctus Iacob pecora sanctae Rachel, qui puteus sexto miliario est a Charris. In cuius putei honorem fabricata est ibi iuxta sancta ecclesia ingens ualde et pulchra. Ad quem puteum cum uenissemus, facta est ab episcopo oratio, lectus etiam locus ipse de Genesi, dictus etiam unus psalmus competens loco, atque iterata oratione benedixit nos episcopus. 2. Vidimus etiam loco iuxta puteum iacente lapidem illum infinitum nimis, quem mouerat sanctus Iacob a puteo, qui usque hodie ostenditur. 3. Ibi autem circa puteo nulli alii commanent nisi clerici de ipsa ecclesia, quae ibi est, et monachi habentes iuxta monasteria sua, quorum uitam sanctus episcopus nobis retulit, sed uere inauditam. Ac sic ergo facta oratione in aecclesia accessi cum episcopo ad sanctos monachos per monasteria ipsorum, et Deo gratias agens et ipsis, qui dignati sunt me per monasteria sua, ubicumque ingressa sum, libenti animo suscipere et alloqui illis sermonibus, quos dignum erat de ore illorum procedere. Nam et eulogias dignati sunt dare michi et omnibus, qui me cum erant, sicut est consuetudo monachis dare, his tamen quos libenti animo suscipiunt in monasteriis suis. 4. Et quoniam ipse locus in campo grandi est, de contra ostensus est michi a sancto episcopo uicus ingens satis, forte ad quingentos passos de puteo, per quem uicum iter habuimus. Hic autem uicus, quantum episcopus dicebat, fuit quondam uilla Laban Siri, qui uicus appellatur Fadana. Nam ostensa est michi in ipso uico memoria Laban Siri, soceri Iacob, ostensus est etiam michi locus, unde furata est Rachel idola patris sui.

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12. I also asked the holy bishop where that place of the Chaldeans was where Terah first lived with his family.75 Then the holy bishop said to me, ‘That place, daughter, that you seek is at the tenth staging post from here, going into Persia. For from here to Nisibis there are five staging posts, and from there to Ur, which was the city of the Chaldeans, are another five staging posts; but now there is no access there for Romans, for the Persians occupy the whole of it. This part is especially called the eastern [province]; it is on the borders of the Romans and the Persians and the Chaldeans.’ 13. And many other things he was gracious enough to relate, as the other holy bishops and holy monks also were gracious enough to do, but everything from the Scriptures of God or the deeds of holy men, that is, of monks, either what miracles those who had already died had done or what those who are still in the body76 do daily, those who are ascetics. For I do not wish your affection to think that there were ever any other stories from the monks except either from the Scriptures of God or the deeds of the greater monks 21. 1. After the two days that I spent there, the bishop led us to the well where holy Jacob watered the flocks of holy Rachel,77 which is six miles from Carrhae; in honour of this well a very huge and beautiful holy church has been built nearby there. When we had come to the well, prayer was made by the bishop, also that passage from Genesis was read, also one psalm suitable to the place was recited, and after another prayer, the bishop blessed us. 2. We also saw, lying in a place next to the well, that very immense stone that holy Jacob moved from the well, which is shown to this day. 3. There around the well no others live except the clergy of the church that is there and monks having their cells nearby, whose truly unheard-of way of life the holy bishop related to us. Thus, after prayer had been made in the church, I went with the bishop to the holy monks in their cells, giving thanks both to God and to those who were gracious enough to receive me with a willing mind in their cells wherever I entered and to address me with those words which were worthy to proceed out of their mouth. For they were also gracious enough to give eulogiae* to me and to all who were with me, as is the custom for monks to give to those whom they receive with a willing mind into their cells. 4. And as that place is on a large plain, a large village on the other side* was shown to me by the holy bishop about five hundred paces from the well; through this village we had our route. This village, as the bishop said, was once the farm of Laban the Syrian; the village is called Fadana. For there was shown to me in that village the grave of Laban the Syrian, Jacob’s father-in-law; also shown to me was the place where Rachel stole her father’s images.78

75 76 77 78

Cf. Gen 29:2–10. Cf. 2 Cor 12:3. Cf. Gen 29:2–10. Cf. Gen 31:19, 34–35.

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5. Ac sic ergo in nomine Dei peruisis omnibus, faciens uale sancto episcopo et sanctis monachis, qui nos usque ad illum locum deducere dignati fuerant, regressi sumus per iter uel mansiones, quas ueneramus de Anthiocia. 22. 1. Anthiocia autem cum fuissem regressa, feci postmodum septimana, quousque ea, quae necessaria erant itineri, pararentur. Et sic proficiscens de Anthiocia faciens iter per mansiones aliquot perueni ad prouinciam, quae Cilicia appellatur, quae habet ciuitatem metropolim Tharso, ubi quidem Tharso et eundo Ierusolimam iam fueram. 2. Sed quoniam de Tharso tertia mansione, id est in Hisauria, est martyrium sanctae Teclae, gratum fuit satis ut etiam illuc accedere, presertim cum tam in proximo esset. 23. 1. Nam proficiscens de Tharso perueni ad quandam ciuitatem supra mare adhuc Ciliciae, que appellatur Ponpeiopolim. Et inde iam ingressa fines Hisauriae mansi in ciuitate, quae appellatur Corico, ac tertia die perueni ad ciuitatem, quae appellatur Seleucia Hisauriae. Vbi cum peruenissem, fui ad episcopum uere sanctum ex monacho, uidi etiam ibi ecclesiam ualde pulchram in eadem ciuitate. 2. Et quoniam inde ad sanctam Teclam, qui locus est ultra ciuitatem in colle sed plano, habebat de ciuitate forsitan mille quingentos passus, malui ergo perexire illuc, ut statiua, quam factura eram, ibi facerem. Ibi autem ad sanctam ecclesiam nichil aliud est nisi monasteria sine numero uirorum ac mulierum. 3. Nam inueni ibi aliquam amicissimam michi, et cui omnes in oriente testimonium ferebant uitae ipsius, sancta diaconissa nomine Marthana, quam ego aput Ierusolimam noueram, ubi illa gratia orationis ascenderat; haec autem monasteria aputactitum seu uirginum regebat. Quae me cum uidisset, quod gaudium illius uel meum esse potuerit, nunquid uel scribere possum? 4. Sed ut redeam ad rem, monasteria ergo plurima sunt ibi per ipsum collem et in medio murus ingens, qui includet ecclesiam, in qua est martyrium, quod martyrium satis pulchrum est. Propterea autem murus missus est ad custodiendam ecclesiam propter Hisauros, quia satis mali sunt et frequenter latrunculantur, ne forte conentur aliquid facere circa monasterium, quod ibi est deputatum. 5. Ibi ergo cum uenissem in nomine Dei, facta oratione ad martyrium nec non etiam et lectione actus sanctae Teclae, gratias Christo Deo nostro egi infinitas, qui mihi dignatus est indignae et non merenti in omnibus desideria complere. 6. Ac sic ergo facto ibi biduo, uisis etiam sanctis monachis uel aputactitis, tam uiris quam feminis, qui ibi erant, et facta oratione et communione, reuersa sum Tharso ad iter meum; ubi facta statiua triduana in nomine Dei profecta sum inde iter meum. Ac sic perueniens eadem die ad mansionem, quae appellatur Mansocrenas, quae est sub monte Tauro, ibi mansi. 7. Et inde alia die subiens montem Taurum et faciens iter iam notum per singulas prouincias, quas eundo transiueram, id est Cappadociam, Galatiam et Bithiniam, perueni Calcedona, ubi propter famosissimum martyrium sanctae Eufimiae ab olim michi notum iam, quod ibi est, mansi loco.

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5. Thus, having seen everything, in the name of God, bidding farewell to the holy bishop and holy monks who had been gracious enough to lead us to that place, we returned by the route and the staging posts by which we had come from Antioch. 22. 1. When I had returned to Antioch, I stayed for a week afterward until the things that were necessary for the journey were prepared. And so setting out from Antioch, making the journey through several staging posts, I arrived at the province that is called Cilicia, which has Tarsus as its capital city, where indeed I had already been when going to Jerusalem. 2. But as the martyrium of holy Thecla is at the third staging post from Tarsus, that is, in Isauria, it was very gratifying also to go there, especially when it was so close. 23. 1. For setting out from Tarsus, I arrived at a certain city by the sea still in Cilicia, which is called Pompeiopolis. And from there, already having entered the borders of Isauria, I stayed in a city called Corycus. On the third day I arrived at a city that is called Seleucia in Isauria. When I had arrived there, I went to the bishop, truly holy from the time he was a monk; I also saw a very beautiful church there in that city. 2. And as from there to holy Thecla, which place is outside the city on a hill, but flat, is about fifteen hundred paces from the city, so I preferred to go there to make the stay there that I was going to make. But there is nothing else there at the holy church except innumerable monastic cells of men and of women. 3. For I found there someone very dear to me, and to whose way of life everyone in the east bore witness, a holy deaconess by the name of Marthana, whom I had known at Jerusalem, where she had gone up for the sake of prayer; she was governing cells of apotactitae* or virgins. When she had seen me, surely I cannot write down what her joy and mine could have been? 4. But to return to the point, there are very many monastic cells there on that hill and in the middle a huge wall that surrounds the church, in which is the martyrium; the martyrium is very beautiful. The wall was built to protect the church because of the Isaurians, as they are very evil and frequently commit robbery, lest perhaps they should try to do anything against the monastery that is established there. 5. So, when I had come there in the name of God, prayer having been made at the martyrium as well as all the Acts of holy Thecla read, I gave endless thanks to Christ our God, who was gracious enough to fulfill for me, unworthy and undeserving, my desires in all things. 6. Thus, having spent two days there, also having seen the holy monks or apotactitae, both men and women, who were there, and prayer having been made and Communion received, I returned to Tarsus to my route, where I made a stay of three days, and set out from there on my route in the name of God. So, arriving on the same day at a staging post that is called Mansocrenae, which is below Mount Taurus, I spent the night there. 7. And from there on the next day climbing Mount Taurus and taking the route I already knew through every province that I had crossed as I went, that is, Cappadocia, Galatia, and Bithynia, I arrived at Chalcedon, where on account of the most famous martyrium of holy Euphemia that is there, already known to me from before, I spent the night in the place.

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8. Ac sic ergo alia die transiens mare perueni Constantinopolim, agens Christo Deo nostro gratias, quod michi indignae et non merenti prestare dignatus est tantam gratiam, id est ut non solum uoluntatem eundi, sed et facultatem perambulandi quae desiderabam dignatus fuerat prestare et reuertendi denuo Constantinopolim. 9. Vbi cum uenissem, per singulas ecclesias uel apostolos nec non et per singula martyria, quae ibi plurima sunt, non cessabam Deo nostro Iesu gratias agere, qui ita super me misericordiam suam prestare dignatus fuerat. 10. De quo loco, domnae, lumen meum, cum haec ad uestram affectionem darem, iam propositi erat in nomine Christi Dei nostri ad Asiam accedendi, id est Efesum, propter martyrium sancti et beati apostoli Iohannis gratia orationis. Si autem et post hoc in corpo fuero, si qua preterea loca cognoscere potuero, aut ipsa presens, si Deus fuerit prestare dignatus, uestrae affectioni referam aut certe, si aliud animo sederit, scriptis nuntiabo. Vos tantum, dominae, lumen meum, memores mei esse dignamini, siue in corpore, siue iam extra corpus fuero. 24. 1. Vt autem sciret affectio uestra, quae operatio singulis diebus cotidie in locis sanctis habeatur, certas uos facere debui, sciens quia libenter haberetis haec cognoscere. Nam singulis diebus ante pullorum cantum aperiuntur omnia hostia Anastasis et descendent omnes monazontes et parthene, ut hic dicunt, et non solum hii, sed et laici preter, uiri aut mulieres, qui tamen uolunt maturius uigilare. Et ex ea hora usque in luce dicuntur ymni et psalmi responduntur, similiter et antiphonae: et cata singulos ymnos fit oratio. Nam presbyteri bini uel terni, similiter et diacones, singulis diebus uices habent simul cum monazontes, qui cata singulos ymnos uel antiphonas orationes dicunt. 2. Iam autem ubi ceperit lucescere, tunc incipiunt matutinos ymnos dicere. Ecce et superuenit episcopus cum clero et statim ingreditur intro spelunca et de intro cancellos primum dicet orationem pro omnibus; commemorat etiam ipse nomina, quorum uult, sic benedicet cathecuminos. Item dicet orationem et benedicet fideles. Et post hoc exeunte episcopo de intro cancellos omnes ad manum ei accedunt, et ille eos uno et uno benedicet exiens iam, ac sic fit missa iam luce. 3. Item hora sexta denuo descendent omnes similiter ad Anastasim et dicuntur psalmi et antiphonae, donec commonetur episcopus; similiter descendet et non sedet, sed statim intrat intra cancellos intra anastasim, id est intra speluncam, ubi et mature, et inde similiter primum facit orationem, sic benedicet fideles, et sic exiens de intro cancellos similiter ei ad manum acceditur. Ita ergo et hora nona fit sicuti et ad sexta.

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8. Thus, crossing the sea on the next day, I arrived at Constantinople, giving thanks to Christ our God because he had been gracious enough to grant such grace to me, unworthy and undeserving, that is, that he had been gracious enough to grant not only the wish to go but also the ability to visit the places I desired and at last to return to Constantinople. 9. When I had come there, in all the churches, or the Apostles, as well as in all the martyria, which are very many there, I did not cease to give thanks to our God Jesus, who had been so gracious to bestow his mercy on me. 10. From this place, ladies, my light, while I send this [letter] to your affection, I have already decided, in the name of Christ our God, to travel to Asia, that is, to Ephesus, for the sake of prayer at the martyrium of the holy and blessed Apostle John. And if after this I remain in the body, if I am able to visit other places besides, I will either relate them to your affection in person, if God shall be gracious enough to grant it, or certainly, if something else shall be resolved in my mind, tell you in writing. You, ladies, my light, only be gracious enough to be mindful of me, whether I shall be in the body or out of the body.79 24. 1. So that your affection may know what is the regular ritual each day in the holy places, I must make you aware, knowing that you would eagerly wish to know this. For each day before cockcrow all the doors of the Anastasis* are opened and all the monazontes and parthenae, as they say here, come down; and not only these but also lay people besides, men and women, those who wish to keep the earlier vigil. And from that hour until daybreak hymns are recited and psalms with refrains, similarly also antiphons; and between each hymn a prayer is made. For two or three presbyters, similarly also deacons, are there in turn each day with the monazontes to recite the prayers between each hymn or antiphon. 2. When it begins to get light, then they begin to recite the morning hymns. Behold, the bishop also arrives with his clergy and immediately goes into the cave and from inside the enclosure he first recites the prayer for all; he also commemorates the names of those whom he wishes; then he blesses the catechumens. Then he says a prayer and blesses the faithful. And after this, as the bishop comes out from inside the enclosure, all come to his hand, and he blesses them one by one as he comes out, and so the dismissal* is done when it is already light. 3. Then at the sixth hour all similarly come down into the Anastasis and psalms and antiphons are recited while the bishop is sent for; he similarly comes down and does not sit but immediately goes inside the enclosure in the Anastasis, that is, inside the cave where also [he was] earlier, and from there he similarly first makes a prayer; he then blesses the faithful and then as he comes out from the enclosure, they similarly come to his hand. The ninth hour is also done as at the sixth hour.

79 Cf. 2 Cor 12:3.

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4. Hora autem decima, quod appellant hic licinicon, nam nos dicimus lucernare, similiter se omnis multitudo colliget ad Anastasim, incenduntur omnes candelae et cerei et fit lumen infinitum. Lumen autem de foris non affertur, sed de spelunca interiori eicitur, ubi noctu ac die semper lucerna lucet, id est de intro cancellos. Dicuntur etiam psalmi lucernares, sed et antiphonae diutius. Ecce et commonetur episcopus et descendet et sedet susum, nec non etiam et presbyteri sedent locis suis, dicuntur ymni uel antiphonae. 5. Et at ubi perdicti fuerint iuxta consuetudinem, lebat se episcopus et stat ante cancellum, id est ante speluncam, et unus ex diaconibus facit commemorationem singulorum, sicut solet esse consuetudo. Et diacono dicente singulorum nomina semper pisinni plurimi stant respondentes semper: ‘kyrie eleyson’, quod dicimus nos: ‘miserere Domine’, quorum uoces infinitae sunt. 6. Et at ubi diaconus perdixerit omnia, quae dicere habet, dicet orationem primum episcopus et orat pro omnibus; et sic orant omnes, tam fideles quam et cathecumini simul. Item mittet uocem diaconus, ut unusquisque, quomodo stat, cathecuminus, inclinet caput; et sic dicet episcopus stans benedictionem super cathecuminos. Item fit oratio et denuo mittet diaconus uocem et commonet, ut unusquisque stans fidelium inclinent capita sua; item benedicet fideles episcopus et sic fit missa Anastasi. 7. Et incipient episcopo ad manum accedere singuli. Et postmodum de Anastasim usque ad Crucem cum ymnis ducitur episcopus, simul et omnis populus uadet. Vbi cum peruentum fuerit, primum facit orationem, item benedicet cathecuminos; item fit alia oratio, item benedicit fideles. Et post hoc denuo tam episcopus quam omnis turba uadent denuo post Crucem et ibi denuo similiter fit sicuti et ante Crucem. Et similiter ad manum episcopo acceditur sicut ad Anastasim, ita et ante Crucem, ita et post Crucem. Candelae autem uitreae ingentes ubique plurimae pendent et cereofala plurima sunt tam ante Anastasim quam etiam ante Crucem, sed et post Crucem, finiuntur ergo haec omnia cum crebris. Haec operatio cotidie per dies sex ita habetur ad Crucem et ad Anastasim. 8. Septima autem die, id est dominica die, ante pullorum cantum colliget se omnis multitudo, quecumque esse potest in eo loco, ac si per pascha, in basilica, quae est loco iuxta Anastasim, foras tamen, ubi luminaria pro hoc ipsud pendent. Dum enim uerentur, ne ad pullorum cantum non occurrant, antecessus ueniunt et ibi sedent. Et dicuntur ymni nec non et antiphonae, et fiunt orationes cata singulos ymnos uel antiphonas. Nam et presbyteri et diacones semper parati sunt in eo loco ad uigilias propter multitudinem, quae se colliget. Consuetudo enim talis est, ut ante pullorum cantum loca sancta non aperiantur. 9. Mox autem primus pullus cantauerit, statim descendet episcopus et intrat intro speluncam ad Anastasim. Aperiuntur hostia omnia et intrat omnis multitudo ad Anastasim, ubi iam luminaria infinita lucent, et quemadmodum ingressus fuerit populus, dicet psalmum quicumque de presbyteris et respondent omnes; post hoc fit oratio. Item dicit psalmum quicumque de diaconibus, similiter fit oratio, dicitur et tertius psalmus a quocumque clerico, fit et tertio oratio et commemoratio omnium.

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4. At the tenth hour—what they call here Licinicon, for we say Lucernare—a whole crowd similarly gathers at the Anastasis; all the lamps and candles are lit, and the light is immense. The light is not brought from outside but is taken from inside the cave, that is, from inside the enclosure, where a lamp is always burning night and day. The Lucernare psalms and also antiphons are recited for some time. Behold, the bishop is also sent for, and he comes down and takes his seat, and the presbyters as well sit in their places; hymns and antiphons are recited. 5. And when they have finished them according to the custom, the bishop rises and stands in front of the enclosure, that is, the cave, and one of the deacons makes the commemoration of individuals, as is the custom, and when the deacon says the names of the individuals, very many children always stand, constantly responding, ‘Kyrie eleison’, as we say, ‘Lord have mercy.’ Their voices are immense. 6. And when the deacon has finished all that he has to say, the bishop first says a prayer and prays for all; and thus all pray, both the faithful and also the catechumens alike. Then the deacon bids all the catechumens to bow their heads where they are standing, and the bishop, standing, then says a blessing over the catechumens. Then a prayer is made, and then the deacon raises his voice and bids each of the faithful, standing, to bow their heads; then the bishop blesses the faithful, and so the dismissal is done at the Anastasis. 7. And individuals begin to come to his hand. And afterward the bishop is led from the Anastasis to the Cross* with hymns, and all the people go with him. When he has arrived, he first makes a prayer, then he blesses the catechumens; then another prayer is made, then he blesses the faithful. And after this both the bishop and all the people then go behind the Cross, and the same is done there as also before the Cross. And they similarly come to the bishop’s hand both before the Cross and behind the Cross, as at the Anastasis. Very many large glass lamps hang everywhere, and there are very many candles, both before the Anastasis and also before the Cross and behind the Cross. So all this ends as darkness falls. This regular ritual is held on the six days at the Cross and at the Anastasis. 8. On the seventh day, that is, the Lord’s Day, a whole crowd gathers before cockcrow, as many as can be in that place, as if at Pascha, at the basilica that is next to the Anastasis, but outdoors, where lights are hung for this. For while they fear that they may not arrive at cockcrow, they come early and sit there. And hymns as well as antiphons are recited, and prayers are made between each hymn and antiphon. For both presbyters and deacons are always ready in that place for the vigil because of the crowd that gathers there. For it is the custom that the holy places are not opened before cockcrow. 9. As soon as the first cock has crowed, the bishop immediately comes down and goes into the cave at the Anastasis. All the doors are opened and the whole crowd goes into the Anastasis, where very many lights are already lit, and when the people have entered, one of the presbyters recites a psalm and all respond; after this a prayer is made. Then one of the deacons recites a psalm, similarly a prayer is made; a third psalm is also recited by one of the clergy, a third prayer is also made and the commemoration of all.

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10. Dictis ergo his tribus psalmis et factis orationibus tribus ecce etiam thiamataria inferuntur intro spelunca Anastasis, ut tota basilica Anastasis repleatur odoribus. Et tunc ubi stat episcopus intro cancellos, prendet euangelium et accedet ad hostium et leget resurrectionem Domini episcopus ipse. Quod cum ceperit legi, tantus rugitus et mugitus fit omnium hominum et tantae lacrimae, ut quamuis durissimus possit moueri in lacrimis, Dominum pro nobis tanta sustinuisse. 11. Lecto ergo euangelio exit episcopus et ducitur cum ymnis ad Crucem, et omnis populus cum illo. Ibi denuo dicitur unus psalmus et fit oratio. Item benedicit fideles et fit missa. Et exeunte episcopo omnes ad manum accedunt. 12. Mox autem recipit se episcopus in domum suam, et iam ex illa hora reuertuntur omnes monazontes ad Anastasim et psalmi dicuntur et antiphonae usque ad lucem et cata singulos psalmos uel antiphonas fit oratio: uicibus enim quotidie presbyteri et diacones uigilant ad Anastasim cum populo. De laicis etiam, uiris aut mulieribus, si qui uolunt, usque ad lucem loco sunt, si qui nolunt, reuertuntur in domos suas et reponent se dormito. 25. 1. Cum luce autem, quia dominica dies est, et proceditur in ecclesia maiore, quam fecit Constantinus, quae ecclesia in Golgotha est post Crucem, et fiunt omnia secundum consuetudinem, qua et ubique fit die dominica. Sane quia hic consuetudo sic est, ut de omnibus presbyteris, qui sedent, quanti uolunt, predicent, et post illos omnes episcopus predicat, quae predicationes propterea semper dominicis diebus fiunt, ut semper erudiatur populus in Scripturis et in Dei dilectione: quae predicationes dum dicuntur, grandis mora fit, ut fiat missa ecclesiae, et ideo ante quartam horam aut forte quintam missa fit. 2. At ubi autem missa facta fuerit ecclesiae iuxta consuetudinem, qua et ubique fit, tunc de ecclesia monazontes cum ymnis ducunt episcopum usque ad Anastasim. Cum autem coeperit episcopus uenire cum ymnis, aperiuntur omnia hostia de basilica Anastasis, intrat omnis populus, fidelis tamen, nam cathecumini non. 3. Et at ubi intrauerit populus, intrat episcopus et statim ingreditur intra cancellos martyrii speluncae. Primum aguntur gratiae Deo, et sic fit orationem pro omnibus; postmodum mittet uocem diaconus, ut inclinent capita sua omnes, quomodo stant, et sic benedicet eos episcopus stans intra cancellos interiores et postmodum egreditur. 4. Egredienti autem episcopo omnes ad manum accedent. Ac sic est, ut prope usque ad quintam aut sextam horam protraitur missa. Item et ad lucernare similiter fit iuxta consuetudinem cotidianam. Haec ergo consuetudo singulis diebus ita per totum annum custoditur, exceptis diebus sollemnibus, quibus et ipsis quemadmodum fiat infra annotauimus. 5. Hoc autem inter omnia satis precipuum est, quod faciunt ut psalmi uel antiphonae apti semper dicantur, tam qui nocte dicuntur, tam qui contra mature, tam etiam qui per diem uel sexta aut nona uel ad lucernare, semper ita apti et ita rationabiles, ut ad ipsam rem pertineant, quae agitur.

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10. So when these three psalms have been recited and the three prayers made, behold, censers are brought into the cave of the Anastasis, so that the whole Anastasis basilica is filled with the smell. And then where the bishop stands inside the enclosure, he takes the gospel and comes to the door, and the bishop himself reads [the account of] the Lord’s resurrection. When he has begun to read it, there is such a groaning and moaning from everyone and such tears that the hardest person could be moved to tears that the Lord had undergone such things for us. 11. So, when the gospel has been read, the bishop comes out and is led with hymns to the Cross and all the people with him. There one psalm is then recited and a prayer is made. Then he blesses the faithful and the dismissal Is done. And as the bishop comes out, all come to his hand. 12. The bishop soon retires to his house, and from that time all the monazontes return to the Anastasis and psalms and antiphons are recited until daybreak, and between each psalm and antiphon a prayer is made, for the presbyters and deacons keep the vigil by turns every day at the Anastasis with the people. Those of the lay people also who wish, men and women, stay there until daybreak; those who do not wish return to their houses and retire to bed. 25. 1. When it is daybreak, as it is the Lord’s Day, they assemble in the major church that Constantine built, the church that is on Golgotha behind the Cross, and everything is done according to the custom by which it is also done everywhere on the Lord’s Day. But it is the custom here that as many of all the presbyters seated who wish preach, and after them all, the bishop preaches. These sermons are always done on the Lord’s Days, so that the people may always be instructed in the Scriptures and in the love of God. While these sermons are being delivered, there is a long delay before the dismissal from the church is done and so it is [not*] before the fourth or even the fifth hour that the dismissal is done. 2. But when the dismissal from the church has been done according to the custom by which it is also done everywhere, then the monazontes lead the bishop with hymns from the church to the Anastasis. And as the bishop begins to come with hymns, all the doors of the Anastasis basilica are opened; all the people enter—but the faithful, not the catechumens. 3. And when the people have entered, the bishop enters and immediately goes inside the enclosure of the cave of the martyrium. First, thanks are given to God, and then the prayer for all is made. Afterward, the deacon bids everyone bow their heads where they are standing and the bishop then blesses them standing inside the enclosure, and afterward he comes out. 4. As the bishop comes out, all come to his hand. So it is that the dismissal is delayed until nearly the fifth or sixth hour. Then Lucernare is done in a similar way to the daily custom. So this custom is observed every day throughout the whole year, except on feast days, and how it is done on those days we will describe below. 5. Among all this what is quite remarkable is that they arrange that appropriate psalms and antiphons are always recited, both those recited at night, those in the early morning, and those during the day at the sixth or ninth hours or at Lucernare, always so appropriate and so reasonable that they are relevant to what is being done.

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6. Et cum toto anno semper dominica die in ecclesia maiore procedatur, id est quae in Golgotha est, id est post Crucem, quam fecit Constantinus, una tantum die dominica, id est quinquagesimarum per pentecosten, in Syon proceditur, sicut infra annotatum inuenietis, sic tamen in Syon ut, antequam sit hora tertia, illuc eatur, fiat primum missa in ecclesiam maiorem.



Benedictus qui uenit in nomine Domini et cetera, quae secuntur. Et quoniam pro monazontes, qui pedibus uadent, necesse est lenius iri: ac sic peruenitur in Ierusolima ea hora, qua incipit homo hominem posse cognoscere, id est prope luce, ante tamen quam lux fiat. 7. Vbi cum peruentum fuerit, statim sic in Anastase ingreditur episcopus et omnes cum eo, ubi luminaria iam supra modo lucent. Dicitur ergo ibi unus psalmus, fit oratio, benedicuntur ab episcopo primum cathecumini, item fideles. Recipit se episcopus et uadent se unusquisque ad ospitium suum ut se resumant. Monazontes autem usque ad lucem ibi sunt et ymnos dicunt. 8. At ubi autem resumpserit se populus, hora incipiente secunda colligent se omnes in ecclesia maiore, quae est in Golgotha. Qui autem ornatus sit illa die ecclesiae uel Anastasis aut Crucis aut in Bethleem, superfluum fuit scribi. Vbi extra aurum et gemmas aut sirico nichil aliud uides; nam et si uela uides, auroclaua oleserica sunt, si cortinas uides, similiter auroclaue olesericae sunt. Ministerium autem omne genus aureum gemmatum profertur illa die. Numerus autem uel ponderatio de ceriofalis uel cicindelis aut lucernis uel diuerso ministerio nunquid uel extimari aut scribi potest? 9. Nam quid dicam de ornatu fabricae ipsius, quam Constantinus sub presentia matris suae, in quantum uires regni sui habuit, honorauit auro, musiuo et marmore pretioso, tam ecclesiam maiorem quam Anastasim uel ad Crucem uel cetera loca sancta in Ierusolima? 10. Sed ut redeamus ad rem, fit ergo prima die missa in ecclesia maiore, quae est in Golgotha. Et quoniam dum predicant, uel legent singulas lectiones uel dicunt ymnos, omnia tamen apta ipsi diei, et inde postmodum cum missa ecclesiae facta fuerit, hitur cum ymnis ad Anastasim iuxta consuetudinem: ac sic fit missa forsitan sexta hora.









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6. And all year always on the Lord’s Day they assemble at the major church, that is, the one that is on Golgotha, that is, behind the Cross, the one Constantine built; only on one Lord’s Day, that is, the fiftieth day of Pentecost, do they assemble on Sion, as you will find noted below; but that they may go on Sion before it is the third hour, the liturgy is done first in the major church … [A folio is missing here]











Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord,80 and the rest that follows. And since for the sake of the monazontes, who go on foot, it is necessary to go more slowly, they arrive at Jerusalem at that hour when one person can begin to be able to recognize another, that is, near daybreak but before it becomes light. 7. When they have arrived there, the bishop immediately goes into the Anastasis, and everyone with him. There a great number of lights are already burning. One psalm is recited there; a prayer is made; first the catechumens, then the faithful are blessed by the bishop. The bishop retires and everyone goes to their lodgings in order to rest. But the monazontes are there until daybreak and recite hymns. 8. But when the people have rested, they all gather at the beginning of the second hour at the major church that is on Golgotha. It would be impossible to describe how adorned on that day is the church or the Anastasis or the Cross or at Bethlehem. You see there nothing other than gold and jewels and silk; for if you look at the veils, they are entirely of silk with gold stripes; if you look at the curtains, they are similarly entirely of silk with gold stripes. All kinds of vessels of gold and jewels are brought out that day. Surely the number or the weight of the candles or the tapers or the lights or the various vessels could not be estimated or described? 9. For what shall I say about the decoration of the buildings themselves, which Constantine, with his mother’s presence and as far as the resources of his empire extended, adorned with gold, mosaic, and precious marble, both the major church and the Anastasis, at the Cross, and the other holy places in Jerusalem? 10. But to return to the point: the liturgy is done on the first day in the major church that is on Golgotha. And when they preach or read the individual lessons or recite hymns, all are appropriate for the day itself; and from there afterward, when the dismissal from the church has been done, they go with hymns to the Anastasis, according to the custom, and so the dismissal is done about the sixth hour.

80 Ps 118:26 = Mt 21:9.

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11. Ipsa autem die similiter et ad lucernare iuxta consuetudinem cotidianam fit. Alia denuo die similiter in ipsa ecclesia proceditur in Golgotha, hoc idem et tertia die. Per triduo ergo haec omnis laetitia in ecclesia, quam fecit Constantinus, celebratur usque ad sextam. Quarta die in Eleona, id est in ecclesia quae est in monte Oliueti, pulchra satis, similiter omnia ita ornantur et ita celebrantur ibi, quinta die in Lazariu quod est ab Ierusolima forsitan ad mille quingentos passus, sexta die in Syon, septima die in Anastase, octaua die ad Crucem. Ac sic ergo per octo dies haec omnis laetitia et is hornatus celebratur in omnibus locis sanctis, quos superius nominaui. 12. In Bethleem autem per totos octo dies cotidie is ornatus est et ipsa laetitia celebratur a presbyteris et ab omni clero ipsius loci et a monazontes, qui in ipso loco deputati sunt. Nam et illa hora, qua omnes nocte in Ierusolima reuertuntur cum episcopo, tunc loci ipsius monachi, quicumque sunt, usque ad lucem in ecclesia in Bethleem peruigilant ymnos seu antiphonas dicentes, quia episcopum necesse est hos dies semper in Ierusolima tenere. Pro sollemnitate autem et laetitia ipsius diei infinite turbae se undique colligent in Ierusolima, non solum monazontes, sed et laici, uiri aut mulieres. 26. Sane quadragesimae de epiphania ualde cum summo honore hic celebrantur. Nam eadem die processio est in Anastase, et omnes procedunt et ordine suo aguntur omnia cum summa laetitia ac si per pascha. Predicant etiam omnes presbyteri et sic episcopus, semper de eo loco tractantes euangelii ubi quadragesima die tulerunt Dominum in templo Ioseph et Maria et uiderunt eum Symeon uel Anna prophetissa filia Fanuhel, et de uerbis eorum, quae dixerunt uiso Domino, uel de oblatione ipsa, qua optulerunt parentes. Et postmodum celebratis omnibus per ordinem, quae consuetudinis sunt, aguntur sacramenta et sic fit missa. 27. 1. Item dies paschales cum uenerint, celebrantur sic. Nam sicut apud nos quadragesimae ante pascha adtenduntur, ita hic octo septimanae attenduntur ante pascha. Propterea autem octo septimane attenduntur, quia dominicis diebus et sabbato non ieiunantur excepta una die sabbati, qua uigiliae paschales sunt et necesse est ieiunari; extra ipsum ergo diem penitus nunquam hic toto anno sabbato ieiunatur. Ac sic ergo de octo septimanis deductis octo diebus dominicis et septem sabbatis, quia necesse est una sabbati ieiunari, ut superius dixi, remanent dies quadraginta et unum qui ieiunantur, quod hic appellant eortae, id est quadragesimas. 2. Singuli autem dies singularum ebdomadarum aguntur sic, id est ut die dominica de pullo primo legat episcopus intra Anastase locum resurrectionis Domini de euangelio, sicut et toto anno dominicis diebus fit, et similiter usque ad lucem aguntur ad Anastasem et ad Crucem, quae et toto anno dominicis diebus fiunt.

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11. And on this day Lucernare similarly is also done according to the daily custom. Then on the next day they similarly assemble at the church on Golgotha, the same also on the third day. So, for three days they celebrate with all this rejoicing until the sixth hour in the church that Constantine built. On the fourth day on Eleona, that is, in the very beautiful church that is on the Mount of Olives, everything is similarly decorated and they celebrate there; on the fifth day at the Lazarium, which lies about fifteen hundred paces from Jerusalem; on the sixth day on Sion; on the seventh day at the Anastasis; on the eighth day at the Cross. Thus, for eight days they celebrate with all this rejoicing and decoration in all the holy places that I have named above. 12. In Bethlehem throughout all the eight days every day is celebrated with decoration and rejoicing by the presbyters and by all the clergy of that place and by the monazontes who have been assigned to that place. For from that time when all return by night to Jerusalem with the bishop, then the monks of that place, all that there are, keep vigil until daybreak in the church in Bethlehem, reciting hymns and antiphons, because it is necessary for the bishop always to keep these days in Jerusalem. Because of the solemnity and rejoicing of that day, immense crowds gather from everywhere in Jerusalem, not only monazontes but also lay people, men and women. 26. The fortieth day after Epiphany is certainly celebrated here with the greatest honor. For on that day the procession* is in the Anastasis and all assemble and everything is done in its order with the greatest rejoicing, as at Pascha. All the presbyters also preach and then the bishop, drawing on that passage in the gospel81 where on the fortieth day Joseph and Mary brought the Lord into the Temple and Simeon and Anna the prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, saw him, and about their words that they spoke when they saw the Lord and about the offering that his parents made. And after everything that is customary has been celebrated in order, the sacrament is administered and then the dismissal is done. 27. 1. Then when the paschal days approach, they are celebrated thus: For as among us forty days before Pascha are observed, so here eight weeks are observed before Pascha. Eight weeks are observed because on the Lord’s Day and the Sabbath they do not fast, except for the one Sabbath day when it is the paschal vigil and it is obligatory to fast; so, apart from that day, there is never any fasting here on the Sabbath in the whole year. Thus, taking away eight Lord’s Days and seven Sabbaths from the eight weeks, because it is obligatory to fast on the one Sabbath as I said above, there remain forty-one days when they fast, which here they call the ‘Festivals’,* that is, Quadragesima. 2. The various days of the several weeks are kept thus; that is, on the Lord’s Day after first cockcrow the bishop reads the passage from the gospel about the Lord’s resurrection inside the Anastasis, as is also done all year on the Lord’s Day, and similarly up to daybreak they do at the Anastasis and at the Cross what is also done all year on the Lord’s Day.

81 Cf. Lk 2:22–38.

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3. Postmodum mane sicut et semper dominica die proceditur, et aguntur quae dominicis diebus consuetudo est agi, in ecclesia maiore, quae appellatur Matyrio, quae est in Golgotha post Crucem. Et similiter missa de ecclesia facta ad Anastase itur cum ymnis, sicut semper dominicis diebus fit. Haec ergo dum aguntur, facit se hora quinta; lucernare hoc idem hora sua fit, sicut semper ad Anastasem et ad Crucem, sicut et singulis locis sanctis fit: dominica enim die nona fit. 4. Item secunda feria similiter de pullo primo ad Anastasem itur sicut et toto anno, et aguntur usque ad mane, quae semper. Denuo ad tertia itur ad Anastasim, et aguntur que toto anno ad sextam solent agi, quoniam in diebus quadragesimarum et hoc additur, ut et ad tertiam eatur. Item ad sextam et nonam et lucernare ita aguntur, sicut consuetudo est per totum annum agi semper in ipsis locis sanctis. 5. Similiter et tertia feria similiter omnia aguntur sicut et secunda feria. Quarta feria autem similiter itur de noctu ad Anastase et aguntur ea, quae semper, usque ad mane; similiter et ad tertiam et ad sexta; ad nonam autem, quia consuetudo est semper, id est toto anno, quarta feria et sexta feria ad nona in Syon procedi, quoniam in istis locis, excepto si martirorum dies euenerit, semper quarta et sexta feria etiam et a cathecuminis ieiunatur: et ideo ad nonam in Syon proceditur. Nam si fortuito in quadragesimis martyrorum dies euenerit quarta feria aut sexta feria, aeque ad nona in Syon proceditur. 6. Diebus uero quadragesimarum, ut superius dixi, quarta feria ad nona in Sion proceditur iuxta consuetudinem totius anni et omnia aguntur, quae consuetudo est ad nonam agi, preter oblatio. Nam ut semper populus discat legem, et episcopus et presbyter predicant assidue. Cum autem facta fuerit missa, inde cum ymnis populus deducet episcopum usque ad Anastasem; inde sic uenitur, ut cum intratur in Anastase, iam et hora lucernari sit; sic dicuntur ymni et antiphonae, fiunt orationes et fit missa lucernaris in Anastase et ad Crucem. 7. Missa autem lucernari in isdem diebus, id est quadragesimarum, serius fit semper quam per toto anno. Quinta feria autem similiter omnia aguntur, sicut secunda feria et tertia feria. Sexta feria autem similiter omnia aguntur sicut quarta feria, et similiter ad nonam in Syon itur, et similiter inde cum ymnis usque ad Anastase adducetur episcopus. Sed sexta feria uigiliae in Anastase celebrantur ab ea hora, qua de Sion uentum fuerit cum ymnis, usque in mane, id est de hora lucernarii, quemadmodum intratum fuerit in alia die mane, id est sabbato. Fit autem oblatio in Anastase maturius, ita ut fiat missa ante solem.

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3. Afterward in the morning, as always on the Lord’s Day, they assemble and do what it is the custom to do on the Lord’s Day in the major church that is called the Martyrium, which is on Golgotha behind the Cross. And similarly, when the dismissal from church has been done, they go to the Anastasis with hymns, as is always done on the Lord’s Day. So, while they are doing this, the fifth hour is reached. Lucernare is done at its same time as always at the Anastasis and at the Cross, as is done also in the various holy places, for on the Lord’s Day the ninth hour is [not*] done. 4. Then on the second day of the week similarly at first cockcrow they go to the Anastasis as also in the rest of the year and do until morning as always. Then at the third hour they go to the Anastasis and do what in the rest of the year they are accustomed to do at the sixth hour, because in the days of Quadragesima it is added that they go at the third hour. Then at the sixth hour and the ninth hour and Lucernare they do as it is the custom always to do in the rest of the year in the holy places. 5. Similarly also on the third day of the week everything is done as also on the second day. On the fourth day they similarly go by night to the Anastasis and do as always until morning; similarly also at the third hour and at the sixth hour. But at the ninth hour, as the custom is always, that is, in the rest of the year, on the fourth and sixth days of the week to assemble on Sion at the ninth hour—because in these places, unless a martyr’s day intervenes, there is always fasting on the fourth and sixth days of the week, even also by catechumens—and so they assemble at the ninth hour on Sion. For if by chance a martyr’s day does intervene on the fourth or sixth day of the week in Quadragesima, […*], still they assemble at the ninth hour on Sion. 6. In the days of Quadragesima, as I said above, on the fourth day of the week they assemble at the ninth hour on Sion according to the custom of the rest of the year and do everything that it is the custom to do at the ninth hour, except for the oblation. For so that the people may constantly learn the law, both the bishop and the presbyter[s*] preach assiduously. When the dismissal has been done, the people lead the bishop with hymns from there to the Anastasis; thence it happens that when he enters the Anastasis, it is already the hour for Lucernare; then they recite hymns and antiphons, prayers are made, and the dismissal from Lucernare is done in the Anastasis and at the Cross. 7. The dismissal from Lucernare in these days, that is, in Quadragesima, is always done later than in the rest of the year. On the fifth day of the week everything is done in the same way as on the second and third days of the week. On the sixth day of the week everything is done in the same way as on the fourth day of the week, and they likewise go to Sion at the ninth hour and likewise the bishop is led from there with hymns to the Anastasis. But on the sixth day of the week a vigil is celebrated from the time when they have come from Sion with hymns until the morning, that is, from the time of Lucernare until the beginning of the morning of the next day, that is, the Sabbath. The oblation is made earlier in the Anastasis, so that the dismissal may be done before sunrise.

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8. Tota autem nocte uicibus dicuntur psalmi responsorii, uicibus antiphonae, uicibus lectiones diuersae, quae omnia usque in mane protrahuntur. Missa autem, quae fit sabbato ad Anastase, ante solem fit, hoc est oblatio, ut ea hora, qua incipit sol procedere, et missa in Anastase facta sit. Sic ergo singulae septimanae celebrantur quadragesimarum. 9. Quod autem dixi, maturius fit missa sabbato, id est ante solem, propterea fit, ut citius absoluant hi, quos dicunt hic ebdomadarios. Nam talis consuetudo est hic ieiuniorum in quadragesimis, ut hi, quos appellant ebdomadarios, id est qui faciunt septimanas, dominica die, quia hora quinta fit missa, ut manducent. Et quemadmodum prandiderint dominica die, iam non manducant nisi sabbato mane, mox communicauerint in Anastase. Propter ipsos ergo, ut citius absoluant, ante sole fit missa in Anastase sabbato. Quod autem dixi, propter illos fit missa mane, non quod illi soli communicent, sed omnes communicant, qui uolunt eadem die in Anastase communicare. 28. 1. Ieiuniorum enim consuetudo hic talis est in quadragesimis, ut alii, quemadmodum manducauerint dominica die post missa, id est hora quinta aut sexta, iam non manducent per tota septimana nisi sabbato ueniente post missa Anastasis, hi qui faciunt ebdomadas. 2. Sabbato autem quod manducauerint mane, iam nec sera manducant, sed ad aliam diem, id est dominica, prandent post missa ecclesiae, hora quinta uel plus et postea iam non manducant, nisi sabbato ueniente, sicut superius dixi. 3. Consuetudo enim hic talis est, ut omnes, qui sunt, ut hic dicunt, aputactite, uiri uel feminae, non solum diebus quadragesimarum, sed et toto anno, qua manducant, semel in die manducant. Si qui autem sunt de ipsis aputactitis, qui non possunt facere integras septimanas ieiuniorum, sicut superius diximus, in totis quadragesimis in medio quinta feria cenant. Qui autem nec hoc potest, biduanas facit per totas quadragesimas; qui autem nec ipsud, de sera ad seram manducant. 4. Nemo autem exigit, quantum debeat facere, sed unusquisque ut potest id facit; nec ille laudatur, qui satis fecerit, nec ille uituperatur, qui minus. Talis est enim hic consuetudo. Esca autem eorum quadragesimarum diebus haec est, ut nec panem quid libari non potest, nec oleum gustent, nec aliquid, quod de arboribus est, sed tantum aqua et sorbitione modica de farina. Quadragesimarum sic fit, ut diximus. 29. 1. Et completo earum septimanarum uigiliae in Anastase sunt de hora lucernarii sexta feria, qua de syon uenitur cum psalmis, usque in mane sabbato, qua oblatio fit in Anastase. Item secunda septimana et tertia et quarta et quinta et sexta similiter fiunt, ut prima de quadragesimis.

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8. Throughout the night are recited in turn responsorial psalms, antiphons, and various readings, which all last until the morning. The liturgy, which is done on the Sabbath at the Anastasis, is done before sunrise, this is the oblation, so that the dismissal also may be done at the time when the sun begins to rise. Thus are each of the weeks of Quadragesima celebrated. 9. As I said, the dismissal is done earlier on the Sabbath, that is, before sunrise; it is done in order that those whom they call hebdomadarii here may finish sooner. For the custom of fasting here in Quadragesima is such that those whom they call hebdomadarii, that is, ‘those who do the week’, eat on the Lord’s Day when the dismissal is done at the fifth hour. And when they have breakfasted on the Lord’s Day, they do not eat until the Sabbath morning as soon as they have received Communion in the Anastasis. So for their sake, in order that they may finish sooner, the dismissal is done in the Anastasis on the Sabbath before sunrise. I said that for their sake the dismissal is done in the morning, not that they alone receive Communion but all who wish to receive Communion that day in the Anastasis receive Communion. 28. 1. For the custom of fasting here in Quadragesima is such that some, when they have eaten on the Lord’s Day after the dismissal, that is, at the fifth or sixth hour, do not eat for the whole week until the coming Sabbath, after the dismissal at the Anastasis; these [are] ‘those who do the week.’ 2. After they have eaten in the morning of the Sabbath, they do not eat in the evening, but on the next day, that is, the Lord’s Day, they breakfast after the dismissal from the church at the fifth hour or later, and afterward do not eat until the coming Sabbath, as I said earlier. 3. For the custom here is such that all who are, as they say here, apotactitae, men and women, not only in the days of Quadragesima but also the whole year eat once a day, when they do eat. But if there are any of these apotactitae who cannot do complete weeks of fasting, as we said above, throughout Quadragesima they dine in the middle, on the fifth day. But anyone who cannot do this does a two-day fast throughout Quadragesima; and any who [cannot do] even this eat every evening. 4. No one compels how much anyone ought to do, but everyone does what they are able; those who have done much are not praised, nor are those who have done less reproached. For such is the custom here. Their food in the days of Quadragesima is this: they taste neither bread, which cannot be sampled,* nor oil nor anything that grows on trees, but only water and a little broth made with flour. Quadragesima is done thus, as we said. 29. 1. At the end of these weeks there is a vigil in the Anastasis from the time of Lucernare on the sixth day, when they come from Sion with psalms, to the morning of the Sabbath, when the oblation is made in the Anastasis. The second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth weeks are like the first week of Quadragesima.

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2. Septima autem septimana cum uenerit, id est quando iam due superant cum ipsa, ut pascha sit, singulis diebus omnia quidem sic aguntur sicut et ceteris septimanis, quae transierunt; tantummodo quod uigiliae, quae in illis sex septimanis in Anastase factae sunt, septima autem septimana, id est sexta feria, in Syon fiunt uigiliae iuxta consuetudinem eam, qua in Anastase factae sunt per sex septimanas. Dicuntur autem horis singulis apti psalmi semper uel antiphonae tam loco quam diei. 3. At ubi autem ceperit se mane facere sabbato illucescente, offeret episcopus et facit oblationem mane sabbato. Iam ut fiat missa, mittit uocem archidiaconus et dicit: ‘Omnes hodie hora septima in Lazario parati simus.’ Ac sit ergo cum ceperit se hora septima facere, omnes ad Lazarium ueniunt. Lazarium autem, id est Bethania, est forsitan secundo miliario a ciuitate. 4. Euntibus autem de Ierusolima in Lazarium forsitan ad quingentos passus de eodem loco ecclesia est in strata in eo loco, in quo occurrit Domino Maria soror Lazari. Ibi ergo cum uenerit episcopus, occurrent illi omnes monachi, et populus ibi ingreditur, dicitur unus ymnus et una antiphona et legitur ipse locus et euangelio, ubi occurrit soror Lazari Domino. Et sic facta oratione et benedictis omnibus, inde iam usque ad Lazarium cum ymnis itur. 5. In Lazario autem cum uentum fuerit, ita se omnis multitudo colligit, ut non solum ipse locus, sed et campi omnes in giro pleni sint hominibus. Dicuntur ymni etiam et antiphonae apti ipsi diei et loco; similiter et lectiones apte diei, quaecumque leguntur. Iam autem, ut fiat missa, denuntiatur pascha, id est subit presbyter in altiori loco et leget illum locum, qui scriptus est in euangelio: ‘Cum uenisset Iesus in Bethania ante sex dies paschae’ et cetera. Lecto ergo eo loco et annuntiata pascha, fit missa. 6. Propterea autem ea die hoc agitur, quoniam sicut in euangelio scriptum est, ante sex dies paschae factum hoc fuisset in Bethania; de sabbato enim usque in quinta feria, qua post cena noctu comprehenditur Dominus, sex dies sunt. Reuertuntur ergo omnes ad ciuitatem rectus ad Anastase et fit lucernare iuxta consuetudinem. 30. 1. Alia ergo die, id est dominica, qua intratur in septimana paschale, quam hic appellant septimana maior, celebratis de pullorum cantu his, quae consuetudinis sunt in Anastase uel ad Crucem usque ad mane agi: die ergo dominica mane proceditur iuxta consuetudinem in ecclesia maiore, quae appellatur Martyrium. Propterea autem Martyrium appellatur, quia in Golgotha est, id est post Crucem, ubi Dominus passus est, et ideo Martyrio.

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2. When the seventh week has come, that is, when with this one two weeks remain until it is Pascha, on each day everything indeed is done as also in the other weeks that have passed, except that the vigil, which was done in those six weeks in the Anastasis, in the seventh week, that is, on the sixth day of the week, is done on Sion according to the same custom with which it was done in the Anastasis during the six weeks. During the whole vigil psalms and antiphons appropriate to the place and the day are always recited. 3. When the Sabbath morning begins to grow light, the bishop offers and makes the oblation on the Sabbath morning. As the dismissal is being done, the archdeacon raises his voice and says: ‘Let us all be ready today at the seventh hour in the Lazarium.’ Thus, when the seventh hour begins to approach, everyone comes to the Lazarium. The Lazarium, that is, Bethany, is about two miles from the city. 4. Going from Jerusalem to the Lazarium, about five hundred paces from that place there is a church on the road in that place where Mary, the sister of Lazarus, met the Lord.82 So, when the bishop comes there, all the monks meet him and the people enter there; one hymn is recited and one antiphon and that passage from the gospel is read where the sister of Lazarus meets the Lord.83 And then when prayer has been made and all have been blessed, they go from there to the Lazarium with hymns. 5. When they have come into the Lazarium, a whole crowd gathers there so that not only the place itself but also all the fields around are full of people. Hymns and antiphons appropriate to the day and place are also recited, similarly also readings all appropriate to the day are read. As the dismissal is being done, Pascha is announced, that is, a presbyter ascends to a higher place and reads that passage that is written in the gospel, When Jesus had come to Bethany six days before the Pascha,84 and the rest. So, when that passage has been read and Pascha announced, the dismissal is done. 6. This is done on that day because, as it is written in the gospel, this was done in Bethany six days before Pascha; for from the Sabbath to the fifth day of the week, when after supper the Lord was arrested by night, are six days. So all return to the city straight to the Anastasis and Lucernare is done according to the custom. 30. 1. So, on the next day, that is, the Lord’s Day, when the paschal week begins, which they call here Great Week, having celebrated from cockcrow those things that are customary to do in the Anastasis and at the Cross until morning, in the morning of the Lord’s Day they assemble according to the custom in the major church, which is called the Martyrium. It is called the Martyrium for the reason that it is on Golgotha, that is, behind the Cross where the Lord suffered, and hence the Martyrium.

82 Cf. Jn 11:20. 83 Probably Jn 11:17–30. 84 Jn 12:1.

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2. Cum ergo celebrata fuerint omnia iuxta consuetudinem in ecclesia maiore, et antequam fiat missa, mittet uocem archidiaconus et dicit primum: ‘Ista septimana omne, id est de die crastino, hora nona omnes ad Martyrium conueniamus’, id est in ecclesia maiore. Item mittet uocem alteram et dicet: ‘Hodie omnes hora septima in eleona parati simus.’ 3. Facta ergo missa in ecclesia maiore, id est ad Martyrium, deducitur episcopus cum ymnis ad Anastase, et ibi completis quae consuetudo est diebus dominicis fieri in Anastase post missa Martyrii, et iam unusquisque hiens ad domum suam festinat manducare, ut hora inquoante septima omnes in ecclesia parati sint, quae est in Eleona, id est in monte Oliueti, ubi est spelunca illa, in qua docebat Dominus. 31. 1. Hora ergo septima omnis populus ascendet in monte Oliueti, id est in Eleona, in ecclesia; sedet episcopus, dicuntur ymni et antiphonae apte diei ipsi uel loco, lectiones etiam similiter. Et cum ceperit se facere hora nona, subitur cum ymnis in Inbomon, id est in eo loco, de quo ascendit Dominus in caelis, et ibi seditur; nam omnis populus semper presente episcopo iubetur sedere, tantum quod diacones soli stant semper. Dicuntur et ibi ymni uel antiphonae aptae loco aut diei: similiter et lectiones interpositae et orationes. 2. Et iam cum coeperit esse hora undecima, legitur ille locus de euangelio, ubi infantes cum ramis uel palmis occurrerunt Domino dicentes: Benedictus, qui uenit in nomine Domini. Et statim leuat se episcopus et omnis populus, porro inde de summo monte Oliueti totum pedibus itur. Nam totus populus ante ipsum cum ymnis uel antiphonis respondentes semper: Benedictus, qui uenit in nomine domini. 3. Et quotquot sunt infantes in hisdem locis, usque etiam qui pedibus ambulare non possunt, quia teneri sunt, in collo illos parentes sui tenent, omnes ramos tenentes alii palmarum, alii oliuarum; et sic deducetur episcopus in eo typo, quo tunc Dominus deductus est. 4. Et de summo monte usque ad ciuitatem et inde ad Anastase per totam ciuitatem totum pedibus omnes, sed et si quae matrone sunt aut si qui domini, sic deducunt episcopum respondentes et sic lente et lente, ne lassetur populus, porro iam sera peruenitur ad Anastase. Vbi cum uentum fuerit, quamlibet sero sit, tamen fit lucernare, fit denuo oratio ad Crucem et dimittitur populus. 32. 1. Item alia die, id est secunda feria, aguntur quae consuetudinis sunt de pullo primo agi usque ad mane ad Anastase, similiter et ad tertia et ad sexta aguntur ea, quae totis quadragesimis. Ad nona autem omnes in ecclesia maiore, id est ad Martyrium, colligent se et ibi usque ad horam primam noctis semper ymni et antiphonae dicuntur; lectiones etiam aptae diei et loco leguntur; interpositae semper orationes.

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2. So, when everything has been celebrated according to the custom in the major church, and before the dismissal is done, the archdeacon raises his voice and says first, ‘All this week, that is, from tomorrow, let us all come together at the ninth hour at the Martyrium’, that is, in the major church. Then he raises his voice again and says, ‘Today let us all be ready at the seventh hour on Eleona.’ 3. So, when the dismissal has been done at the major church, that is, at the Martyrium, the bishop is led with hymns to the Anastasis and when they have completed there what it is the custom to do on the Lord’s Day in the Anastasis after the dismissal at the Martyrium, everyone hurries home to eat so that at the beginning of the seventh hour all may be ready in the church that is on Eleona, that is, the Mount of Olives, where there is the cave in which the Lord taught. 31. 1. So, at the seventh hour all the people ascend the Mount of Olives, that is, on Eleona, in the church. The bishop sits, hymns and antiphons appropriate to that day and place are recited, similarly also readings. And when the ninth hour begins to approach, they go up with hymns to the Imbomon, that is, the place from which the Lord ascended into heaven, and there they sit, for all the people are always bidden to sit when the bishop is present, and the deacons alone always stand. Hymns and antiphons appropriate to the place and day are also recited there; similarly also readings and prayers are interspersed. 2. And when the eleventh hour begins, there is read that passage from the gospel where children with branches and palms meet the Lord, saying, Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.85 And immediately the bishop rises and all the people go forward from there entirely on foot from the summit of the Mount of Olives. For all the people [go] before him with hymns and antiphons, continually responding, Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord. 3. And there are very many children in these places—including those who cannot walk on foot; because they are to be carried, their parents carry them on their shoulders—all carrying branches, some of palm, others of olive; and so the bishop is led in the same way as the Lord was led then. 4. And from the summit of the Mount to the city and from there through the whole city to the Anastasis all, even any who are noble ladies and gentlemen, lead the bishop entirely on foot, responding thus, going very slowly lest the people become tired, and so at a late hour arrive at the Anastasis. When they have arrived there, even though it is late, Lucernare is still done, then prayer is made at the Cross, and the people are dismissed. 32. 1. Then on the next day, that is, the second day of the week, they do what it is customary to do from first cockcrow until morning at the Anastasis; similarly both at the third and at the sixth hours they do what is done all through Quadragesima. At the ninth hour all gather in the major church, that is, at the Martyrium, and there until the first hour of the night hymns and antiphons are continually recited, readings also appropriate to the day and place are read, prayers always interspersed. 85 Mt. 21:1–9.

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2. Lucernarium etiam agitur ibi, cum ceperit hora esse: sic est ergo, ut nocte etiam fiat missa ad Martyrium. Vbi cum factum fuerit missa, inde cum ymnis ad Anastase ducitur episcopus. In quo autem ingressus fuerit in Anastase, dicitur unus ymnus, fit oratio, benedicuntur cathecumini, item fideles, et fit missa. 33. 1. Item tertia feria similiter omnia fiunt sicut secunda feria. Illud solum additur tertia feria, quod nocte sera, posteaquam missa facta fuerit ad Martyrium et itum fuerit ad Anastase et denuo in Anastase missa facta fuerit, omnes illa hora noctu uadent in ecclesia, quae est in monte Eleona. 2. In qua ecclesia cum uentum fuerit, intrat episcopus intra spelunca, in qua spelunca solebat Dominus docere discipulos, et accipit codicem euangelii, et stans ipse episcopus leget uerba Domini, quae scripta sunt in euangelio in cata Matheo, id est ubi dicit: Videte, ne quis uos seducat. Et omnem ipsam allocutionem perleget episcopus. At ubi autem illa perlegerit, fit oratio, benedicuntur cathecumini, item et fideles, fit missa, et reuertuntur a monte unusquisque ad domum suam satis sera iam nocte. 34. Item quarta feria aguntur omnia per tota die a pullo primo sicut secunda feria et tertia feria, sed posteaquam missa facta fuerit nocte ad Martyrium et deductus fuerit episcopus cum ymnis ad Anastase, statim intrat episcopus in spelunca, quae est in Anastase, et stat intra cancellos; presbyter autem ante cancellum stat et accipit euangelium et legit illum locum, ubi Iudas Scariothes hiuit ad Iudeos, definiuit quid ei darent, ut traderet Dominum. Qui locus at ubi lectus fuerit, tantus rugitus et mugitus est totius populi, ut nullus sit, qui moueri non possit in lacrimis in ea hora. Postmodum fit oratio, benedicuntur cathecumini, postmodum fideles et fit missa. 35. 1. Item quinta feria aguntur ea de pullo primo, quae consuetudinis est usque ad mane ad Anastase; similiter ad tertia et ad sexta. Octaua autem hora iuxta consuetudinem ad Martyrium colliget se omnis populus, propterea autem temporius quam ceteris diebus, quia citius missa fieri necesse est. Itaque ergo collecto omni populo aguntur quae agenda sunt; fit ipsa die oblatio ad Martyrium et facitur missa hora forsitan decima ibidem. Ante autem quam fiat missa, mittet uocem archidiaconus et dicet: ‘Hora prima noctis omnes in ecclesia, quae est in Eleona, conueniamus, quoniam maximus labor nobis instat hodie nocte ista.’

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2. Lucernarium also takes place there when the hour approaches; so it is already nightfall when the dismissal is done at the Martyrium. When the dismissal has been done there, the bishop is led with hymns from there to the Anastasis. When he has entered into the Anastasis, one hymn is recited, prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed, then the faithful, and the dismissal is done. 33. 1. Then on the third day of the week everything is done just as on the second day of the week. This alone is added on the third day of the week, that late at night after the dismissal has been done at the Martyrium and they have gone to the Anastasis and then the dismissal has been done in the Anastasis, all go at that hour of the night to the church that is on Mount Eleona. 2. When they have come to that church, the bishop enters into the cave in which the Lord was accustomed to teach the disciples, and he takes the gospel book, and, standing, the bishop himself reads the words of the Lord that are written in the Gospel according to Matthew, that is, where he says, See, let no one lead you astray.86 And the bishop reads through that whole discourse. And when he has read through it, prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed, then also the faithful, the dismissal is done and everyone returns from the Mount to their homes as it is already quite late at night. 34. Then on the fourth day of the week everything is done throughout the day from first cockcrow as on the second and third days of the week, but after the dismissal has been done at night at the Martyrium and the bishop has been led with hymns to the Anastasis, the bishop immediately enters into the cave that is in the Anastasis and he stands inside the enclosure; but a presbyter stands outside the enclosure and takes the gospel and reads that passage where Judas Iscariot went to the Jews and determined what they should give him to betray the Lord.87 When that passage has been read, there is such a groaning and moaning from all the people that there is no one who could not be moved to tears at that time. Afterward prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed, afterward the faithful, and the dismissal is done. 35. 1. Then on the fifth day of the week they do those things that are customary from first cockcrow until the morning in the Anastasis; similarly at the third and at the sixth hours. At the eighth hour all the people gather at the Martyrium according to custom, but earlier than on other days because it is necessary for the dismissal to be done sooner. Thus, when all the people have gathered, they do what is to be done; that day the oblation is made at the Martyrium and the dismissal is done there about the tenth hour. But before the dismissal is done, the archdeacon raises his voice and says, ‘At the first hour of the night let us all come together at the church that is on Eleona, because the greatest labour awaits us today, this very night.’

86 Mt. 24:4. 87 Cf. Mt. 26:14–15.

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2. Facta ergo missa Martyrii uenitur post Crucem, dicitur ibi unus ymnus tantum, fit oratio et offeret episcopus ibi oblationem et communicant omnes. Excepta enim ipsa die una, per totum annum nunquam offeritur post Crucem nisi ipsa die tantum. Facta ergo et ibi missa, itur ad Anastase, fit oratio, benedicuntur iuxta consuetudinem cathecumini et sic fideles et fit missa. Et sic unusquisque festinat reuerti in domum suam, ut manducet, quia statim ut manducauerint, omnes uadent in Eleona in ecclesia ea, in qua est spelunca, in qua ipsa die Dominus cum apostolis fuit. 3. Et ibi usque ad hora noctis forsitan quinta semper aut ymni aut antiphonae apte diei et loco, similiter et lectiones dicuntur; interpositae orationes fiunt; loca etiam ea de euangelio leguntur, in quibus Dominus allocutus est discipulos eadem die sedens in eadem spelunca, quae in ipsa ecclesia est. 4. Et inde iam hora noctis forsitan sexta itur susu in Imbomon cum ymnis, in eo loco unde ascendit Dominus in caelis. Et ibi denuo similiter lectiones et ymni et antiphonae aptae diei dicuntur; orationes etiam ipsae quecumque fiunt, quas dicet episcopus, semper et diei et loco aptas dicet. 36. 1. Ac sic ergo cum ceperit esse pullorum cantus, descenditur de Imbomon cum ymnis et acceditur eodem loco, ubi orauit Dominus, sicut scriptum est in euangelio: ‘Et accessit quantum iactum lapidis et orauit’, et cetera. In eo enim loco ecclesia est elegans. Ingreditur ibi episcopus et omnis populus, dicitur ibi oratio apta loco et diei, dicitur etiam unus ymnus aptus et legitur ipse locus de euangelio, ubi dixit discipulis suis: ‘Vigilate, ne intretis in temptationem.’ Et omnis ipse locus perlegitur ibi et fit denuo oratio. 2. Et iam inde cum ymnis usque ad minimus infans in Gessamani pedibus cum episcopo descendent, ubi pre tam magna turba multitudinis et fatigati de uigiliis et ieiuniis cotidianis lassi, quia tam magnum montem necesse habent descendere, lente et lente cum ymnis uenitur in Gessamani. Candelae autem ecclesiasticae super ducente paratae sunt propter lumen omni populo. 3. Cum ergo peruentum fuerit in Gessamani, fit primum oratio apta, sic dicitur ymnus; item legitur ille locus de euangelio ubi comprehensus est dominus. Qui locus ad quod lectus fuerit, tantus rugitus et mugitus totius populi est cum fletu, ut forsitan porro ad ciuitatem gemitus populi omnis auditus sit. Et iam ex illa hora hitur ad ciuitatem pedibus cum ymnis, peruenitur ad portam ea hora qua incipit quasi homo hominem cognoscere; inde totum per mediam ciuitatem omnes usque ad unum, maiores atque minores, diuites, pauperes, toti ibi parati, specialiter illa die nullus recedit a uigiliis usque in mane. Sic deducitur episcopus a Gessemani usque ad portam et inde per totam ciuitate usque ad Crucem.

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2. When the dismissal has been done at the Martyrium, they come behind the Cross, one hymn only is recited there, prayer Is made, and the bishop offers the oblation there and all receive Communion. For except on that one day it is never offered behind the Cross throughout the whole year except on that day only. So the dismissal also having been done there, they go to the Anastasis, prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed according to the custom and then the faithful, and the dismissal is done. And then everyone hurries to return to their home to eat, because as soon as they have eaten, they all go to Eleona, to the church in which there is the cave in which on this day the Lord was with the apostles. 3. And there until about the fifth hour of the night hymns and antiphons appropriate to the day and place are continually recited, similarly also readings; prayers are inter-spersed; those passages also from the gospel are read in which the Lord addressed the disciples that very day,88 sitting in the same cave that is in that church. 4. And from there at about the sixth hour of the night they go up with hymns to the Imbomon, to that place where the Lord ascended into heaven. And there again similarly readings and hymns and antiphons appropriate to the day are recited; also whatever prayers there are that the bishop says are always appropriate both to the day and to the place. 36. 1. Thus, when the cocks begin to crow, they come down from the Imbomon with hymns and come to that place where the Lord prayed, as it is written in the gospel: And he approached* a stone’s throw and prayed,89 and the rest. For in that place there is a fine church. The bishop and all the people enter, a prayer appropriate to the place and day is recited there, an appropriate hymn is also recited and that passage from the gospel is read where he said to his disciples, Watch, lest you enter into temptation.90 And the whole of that passage is read through there and then prayer is made. 2. And from there with hymns, even down to the smallest child, they come down on foot with the bishop to Gethsemane, where on account of the large size of the crowd both wearied from the vigil and weak from the daily fasting, because they have to come down such a large mountain, they come very slowly with hymns to Gethsemane. More than two hundred church candles are prepared to give light to all the people. 3. So, when they have arrived at Gethsemane, first an appropriate prayer is made, then a hymn is recited; then is read that passage from the gospel where the Lord was arrested.91 When that passage has been read, there is such a groaning and moaning from all the people, with weeping, that the lamentation of all the people is heard about as far away as the city. And from that hour they go to the city on foot with hymns; they arrive at the gate at that time when one person begins to recognize another; from there right through the middle of the city all as one, older and younger, rich, poor, all [are] ready there; especially on that day no one withdraws from the vigil until morning. Thus the bishop is led from Gethsemane as far as the gate and from there through the whole city as far as the Cross. 88 89 90 91

Cf. Mt 26:31–35 (or perhaps Jn 13:16–18:1 is meant). Lk 22:41. Mt 26:41; Mk 14:38. Cf. Mt 26:46–56.

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4. Ante Crucem autem at ubi uentum fuerit, iam lux quasi clara incipit esse. Ibi denuo legitur ille locus de euangelio ubi adducitur Dominus ad Pilatum, et omnia, quaecumque scripta sunt Pilatum ad Dominum dixisse aut ad Iudeos, totum legitur. 5. Postmodum autem alloquitur episcopus populum confortans eos, quoniam et tota nocte laborauerint et adhuc laboraturi sint ipsa die, ut non lassentur sed habeant spem in Deo, qui eis pro eo labore maiorem mercedem redditurus sit. Et sic confortans eos, ut potest ipse, alloquens dicit eis: ‘Ite interim nunc unusquisque ad domumcellas uestras, sedete uobis et modico, et ad horam prope secundam diei omnes parati estote hic, ut de ea hora usque ad sextam sanctum lignum crucis possitis uidere ad salutem sibi unusquisque nostrum credens profuturum. De hora enim sexta denuo necesse habemus hic omnes conuenire in isto loco, id est ante Crucem, ut lectionibus et orationibus usque ad noctem operam demus.’ 37. 1. Post hoc ergo missa facta de Cruce, id est antequam sol procedat, statim unusquisque animosi uadent in Syon orare ad columnam illam, ad quem flagellatus est Dominus. Inde reuersi sedent modice in domibus suis et statim toti parati sunt. Et sic ponitur cathedra episcopo in Golgotha post Crucem, quae stat nunc; residet episcopus in cathedra; ponitur ante eum mensa sublinteata; stant in giro mensa diacones et affertur loculus argenteus deauratus, in quo est lignum sanctum crucis, aperitur et profertur, ponitur in mensa tam lignum crucis quam titulus. 2. Cum ergo positum fuerit in mensa, episcopus sedens de manibus suis summitates de ligno sancto premet, diacones autem, qui in giro stant, custodent. Hoc autem propterea sic custoditur, quia consuetudo est ut unus et unus omnis populus ueniens, tam fideles quam cathecumini, acclinantes se ad mensam, osculentur sanctum lignum et pertranseant. Et quoniam nescio quando dicitur quidam fixisse morsum et furasse de sancto ligno, ideo nunc a diaconibus, qui in giro stant, sic custoditur, ne qui ueniens audeat denuo sic facere. 3. Ac sic ergo omnis populus transit unus et unus toti acclinantes se, primum de fronte, sic de oculis tangentes crucem et titulum, et sic osculantes crucem pertranseunt, manum autem nemo mittit ad tangendum. At ubi autem osculati fuerint crucem, pertransierint, stat diaconus, tenet anulum Salomonis et cornu illud, de quo reges unguebantur. Osculantur et cornu, attendunt et anulum de hora plus minus secunda; ac sic ergo usque ad horam sextam omnis populus transit, per unum ostium intrans, per alterum perexiens, quoniam hoc in eo loco fit, in quo pridie, id est quinta feria, oblatio facta est. 4. At ubi autem sexta hora se fecerit, sic itur ante Crucem, siue pluuia siue estus sit, quia ipse locus subdiuanus est, id est quasi atrium ualde grandem et pulchrum satis, quod est inter Cruce et Anastase. Ibi ergo omnis populus se colliget, ita ut nec aperiri possit.

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4. When they have arrived before the Cross, the daylight is already beginning to be bright. Then is read there that passage from the gospel where the Lord is brought before Pontius Pilate, and everything that is written that Pilate said to the Lord and to the Jews is read in full.92 5. Afterward the bishop addresses the people, comforting them because they have laboured all night and will labour that day, that they should not be weary but have hope in God who will repay them a greater reward for their labour. And so comforting them, as he is able, addressing them, he says, ‘Go now meanwhile, each of you, to your homes, sit down a little while, and just before the second hour of the day all be ready here, so that from that hour until the sixth you can see the holy wood of the cross, each of us believing it will be profitable for our salvation. For from the sixth hour we must all then come together here in this place, that is, before the Cross, so that we may give heed to readings and prayers until nightfall.’ 37. 1. So, after this the dismissal from the Cross is done, that is, before the sun rises, and everyone immediately goes eagerly to Sion to pray at that pillar at which the Lord was scourged.* Having returned from there, they sit down a little while in their homes, and soon all are ready. And then a chair is placed for the bishop on Golgotha behind the Cross, which* now stands; the bishop sits in the chair; a table covered with a linen cloth is placed before him; the deacons stand around the table and a silver-gilt casket is brought, in which is the holy wood of the cross; it is opened and [the wood] is brought out; both the wood of the cross and the inscription are placed on the table. 2. So, when it has been placed on the table, the bishop, sitting, grips the ends of the holy wood with his hands, and the deacons who stand around guard it. It is guarded thus because the custom is that all the people coming one by one, both the faithful and the catechumens, bowing at the table, kiss the holy wood and pass through. And because, I don’t know when, someone is said to have bitten off and stolen a piece of the holy wood, therefore it is now thus guarded by the deacons who stand around lest anyone dares to come and do so again. 3. Thus, all the people pass through one by one, all bowing, touching the cross and the inscription first with their forehead, then with their eyes, and then kissing the cross, they pass through, but no one raises a hand to touch. When they have kissed the cross and passed through, a deacon stands holding Solomon’s ring and the horn with which kings were anointed. They kiss the horn also and venerate the ring from more or less the second hour; and so until the sixth hour all the people pass through, entering through one of the doors, going out through another, as this is done in the place in which on the previous day, that is, on the fifth day of the week, the oblation was made. 4. When the sixth hour has come, they go before the Cross, whether it is rainy or hot, because that place is out of doors, that is, like a rather large and quite beautiful

92 Cf. Jn 18:28–19:16.

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5. Episcopo autem cathedra ponitur ante Cruce, et de sexta usque ad nona aliud nichil fit nisi leguntur lectiones sic: id est ita legitur primum de psalmis, ubicumque de passione dixit; legitur et de apostolo siue de epistolis apostolorum uel de actionibus, ubicumque de passione Domini dixerunt; nec non et de euangeliis leguntur loca, ubi patitur; item legitur de prophetis, ubi passurum Dominum dixerunt; item legitur de euangeliis, ubi passionem dicit. 6. Ac sic ab hora sexta usque ad horam nonam semper sic leguntur lectiones aut dicuntur ymni, ut ostendatur omni populo quia, quicquid dixerunt prophetae futurum de passione Domini, ostendatur tam per euangelia quam etiam per apostolorum scripturas factum esse. Et sic per illas tres horas docetur populus omnis nichil factum esse, quod non prius dictum sit, et nichil dictum esse, quod non totum completum sit. Semper autem interponuntur orationes, quae orationes et ipsae apte diei sunt. 7. Ad singulas autem lectiones et orationes tantus affectus et gemitus totius populi est, ut mirum sit; nam nullus est neque maior neque minor, qui non illa die illis tribus horis tantum ploret, quantum nec extimari potest, Dominum pro nobis ea passum fuisse. Post hoc cum coeperit se iam hora nona facere, legitur iam ille locus de euangelio cata Iohannem, ubi reddidit spiritum; quo lecto iam fit oratio et missa. 8. At ubi autem missa facta fuerit de ante Cruce, statim omnes in ecclesia maiore ad Martyrium conueniunt et aguntur ea, quae per ipsa septimana de hora nona, qua ad Martyrium conuenitur, consueuerunt agi usque ad sero per ipsa septimana. Missa autem facta, de Martyrium uenitur ad Anastase. Et ibi cum uentum fuerit, legitur ille locus de euangelio ubi petit corpus Domini Ioseph a Pilato, ponet illud in sepulcro nouo. Hoc autem lecto fit oratio, benedicuntur cathecumini, sic fit missa. 9. Ipsa autem die non mittitur uox ut peruigiletur ad Anastase, quoniam scit populum fatigatum esse; sed consuetudo est ut peruigiletur ibi. Ac sic qui uult de populo, immo qui possunt, uigilant; qui autem non possunt, non uigilant ibi usque in mane, clerici autem uigilant ibi id est qui aut fortiores sunt aut iuueniores; et tota nocte dicuntur ibi ymni et antiphonae usque ad mane. Maxima autem turba peruigilant, alii de sera, alii de media nocte, qui ut possunt.

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court which is between the Cross and the Anastasis. There all the people gather, such that it cannot be opened.* 5. A chair is placed for the bishop before the Cross and from the sixth to the ninth hour nothing else is done except that readings are read thus, that is, first there are readings from the Psalms, wherever they speak of the passion; there are also readings from the Apostle, either from the letters of the Apostles or from the Acts, wherever they speak of the Lord’s passion; and also passages from the gospels where he suffered are read; so they read from the prophets where they say that the Lord will suffer and then they read from the gospels where he speaks of his passion. 6. So, from the sixth hour to the ninth hour readings are read and hymns recited continually, to show all the people that whatever the prophets foretold concerning the Lord’s passion is shown to have been done both from the gospels and also from the writings of the Apostles. And so during those three hours all the people are taught that nothing had been done that had not been foretold, and nothing had been told that had not been completely fulfilled. Prayers that are appropriate to the day are always interspersed. 7. To each of the readings and prayers there is such emotion and lamentation from all the people that it is astonishing; for there is no one, either older or younger, who on that day in those three hours does not bewail more than can be reckoned that the Lord had suffered those things for us. After this, when the ninth hour has already begun to approach, that passage from the Gospel according to John is read where he gave up his spirit.93 When it has been read, a prayer and the dismissal are done. 8. When the dismissal has been done from before the Cross, immediately everyone gathers in the major church, at the Martyrium, and everything is done that they are accustomed to do during this week from the ninth hour when they gather at the Martyrium until late during this week. When the dismissal from the Martyrium has been done, they come to the Anastasis. And when they have come there, that passage from the gospel is read where Joseph asks for the Lord’s body from Pilate [and] places it in a new tomb.94 When this has been read, prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed, then [the faithful, and then*] the dismissal is done. 9. On this day no announcement is made that they will keep vigil at the Anastasis because it is known that the people are tired, but it is the custom that they do keep vigil there. So, those of the people who wish, or rather who are able, keep vigil; those who are not able do not keep vigil there until the morning, but the clergy keep vigil there, that is, those who are stronger or younger, and throughout the night hymns and antiphons are recited there until morning. A very large crowd keeps vigil, some from the evening, others from the middle of the night, as they are able.

93 Cf. Jn 19:30. 94 Cf. Jn 19:38.

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38. 1. Sabbato autem alia die iuxta consuetudinem fit ad tertia, item fit ad sexta; ad nonam autem iam non fit Sabbato, sed parantur uigiliae paschales in ecclesia maiore, id est in Martyrium. Vigiliae autem paschales sic fiunt, quemadmodum ad nos; hoc solum hic amplius fit, quod infantes, cum baptidiati fuerint et uestiti, quemadmodum exient de fonte simul cum episcopo primum ad Anastase ducuntur. 2. Intrat episcopus intro cancellos Anastasis, dicitur unus ymnus, et sic facit orationem episcopus pro eis, et sic uenit ad ecclesiam maiorem cum eis, ubi iuxta consuetudinem omnis populus uigilat. Aguntur ibi quae consuetudinis est etiam et aput nos, et facta oblatione fit missa. Et post facta missa uigiliarum in ecclesia maiore, statim cum ymnis uenitur ad Anastase et ibi denuo legitur ille locus euangelii resurrectionis, fit oratio et denuo ibi offeret episcopus; sed totum ad momentum fit propter populum, ne diutius tardetur, et sic iam dimittetur populus. Ea autem hora fit missa uigiliarum ipsa die, qua hora et aput nos. 39. 1. Sero autem illi dies paschales sic attenduntur quemadmodum et ad nos, et ordine suo fiunt missae per octo dies paschales, sicut et ubique fit per pascha usque ad octauas. Hic autem ipse ornatus est et ipsa compositio et per octo dies paschae, quae et per epiphania, tam in ecclesia maiore quam ad Anastase aut ad Crucem uel in Eleona, sed et in Bethleem nec non etiam in Lazariu uel ubique, quia dies paschales sunt. 2. Proceditur autem ipsa die dominica prima in ecclesia maiore, id est ad Martyrium, et secunda feria et tertia feria, ubi ita tamen, ut semper missa facta de Martyrio ad Anastase ueniatur cum ymnis. Quarta feria autem in Eleona proceditur, quinta feria ad Anastase, sexta feria in Syon, sabbato ante Cruce, dominica autem die, id est octauis, denuo in ecclesia maiore, id est ad Martyrium. 3. Ipsis autem octo diebus paschalibus cotidie post prandium episcopus cum omni clero et omnibus infantibus, id est qui baptidiati fuerint, et omnibus, qui aputactitae sunt, uiri ac feminae, nec non etiam et de plebe quanti uolunt, in Eleona ascendent. Dicuntur ymni, fiunt orationes tam in ecclesia, quae in Eleona est, in qua est spelunca, in qua docebat Iesus discipulos, tam etiam in Imbomon, id est in eo loco, de quo Dominus ascendit in caelis. 4. Et posteaquam dicti fuerint psalmi et oratio facta fuerit, inde usque ad Anastase cum ymnis descenditur hora lucernae: hoc per totos octo dies fit. Sane dominica die per pascha post missa lucernarii, id est de Anastase, omnis populus episcopum cum ymnis in Syon ducet. 5. Vbi cum uentum fuerit, dicuntur ymni apti diei et loco, fit oratio et legitur ille locus de euangelio ubi eadem die Dominus in eodem loco, ubi ipsa ecclesia nunc in Syon est, clausis ostiis ingressus est discipulis, id est quando tunc unus ex discipulis ibi non erat, id est Thomas, qua reuersus est et dicentibus ei aliis apostolis quia Dominum uidissent, ille dixit: ‘Non credo, nisi uidero.’ Hoc lecto fit denuo oratio, benedicuntur cathecumini, item fideles, et reuertuntur unusquisque ad domum suam sera, hora forsitan noctis secunda.

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38. 1. The next day, the Sabbath, the third hour is done according to the custom, then the sixth hour is done; the ninth hour is not done on the Sabbath, but the paschal vigil is prepared in the major church, that is, in the Martyrium. The paschal vigil is done in the same way as with us; but this alone is different, that the ‘infants’,* when they have been baptized and clothed, as they come out of the font, are first led along with the bishop to the Anastasis. 2. The bishop goes inside the enclosure of the Anastasis, one hymn is recited, and the bishop makes a prayer for them, and then he comes to the major church with them, where according to the custom all the people are keeping vigil. They do there what is also customary with us, and after the oblation has been made, the dismissal is done. And after the dismissal from the vigil in the major church has been done, they immediately come with hymns to the Anastasis and there that passage of the gospel about the resurrection is then read, prayer is made, and then the bishop makes the oblation there; but all is done quickly on account of the people, in order that they are not delayed longer, and so the people are dismissed. The dismissal from the vigil on that day is done at the same hour as also with us 39. 1. The eight* paschal days are kept in the same way as also with us, and the liturgies are done in their order throughout the eight paschal days, as is also done everywhere at Pascha through the octave. Here the adornment and the arrangement throughout the eight days of Pascha is the same as during Epiphany, both in the major church and at the Anastasis and at the Cross and on Eleona, but also in Bethlehem as well as in the Lazarium and everywhere, because they are the paschal days. 2. They assemble on this first Lord’s Day in the major church, that is, at the Martyrium, and on the second and third days of the week, but always so that when the dismissal from the Martyrium is done, they come to the Anastasis with hymns. On the fourth day of the week they assemble on Eleona, on the fifth day of the week at the Anastasis, on the sixth day of the week on Sion, on the Sabbath before the Cross, and on the Lord’s Day, that is, the octave, again in the major church, that is, at the Martyrium. 3. On these eight paschal days every day after breakfast the bishop goes up to Eleona with all the clergy and all the ‘infants’, that is, those who have been baptized, and all who are apotactitae, men and women, as well as any of the people who wish. Hymns are recited, prayers are made both in the church that is on Eleona, in which is the cave in which Jesus taught the disciples, and also at the Imbomon, that is, in that place from which the Lord ascended into heaven. 4. And after the psalms have been recited and prayer has been made, they come down from there to the Anastasis with hymns at the hour of lamplighting: this is done throughout the eight days. Now on the Lord’s Day during Pascha, after the dismissal from Lucernarium, that is, from the Anastasis, all the people lead the bishop with hymns to Sion. 5. When they come there, hymns appropriate to the day and place are recited, prayer is made, and that passage from the gospel is read where on the same day in the same place where the church is now on Sion, with the doors closed, the

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40. 1. Item octauis paschae, id est die dominica, statim post sexta omnis populus cum episcopo ad Eleona ascendit; primum in ecclesia, quae ibi est, aliquandiu sedetur; dicuntur ymni, dicuntur antiphonae aptae diei et loco, fiunt orationes similiter aptae diei et loco. Denuo inde cum ymnis itur in Imbomon susu, similiter et ibi ea aguntur, quae et illic. Et cum ceperit hora esse, iam omnis populus et omnes aputactite deducunt episcopum cum ymnis usque ad Anastase. Ea autem hora peruenitur ad Anastase, qua lucernarium fieri solet. 2. Fit ergo lucernarium tam ad Anastase quam ad Crucem, et inde omnis populus usque ad unum cum ymnis ducunt episcopum usque ad Syon. Vbi cum uentum fuerit, similiter dicuntur ymni apti loco et diei, legitur denuo et ille locus de euangelio ubi octauis paschae ingressus est Dominus ubi erant discipuli, et arguet Thomam quare incredulus fuisset. Et tunc omnis ipsa lectio perlegitur; postmodum fit oratio; benedictis cathecuminis quam fidelibus iuxta consuetudinem, reuertuntur unusquisque ad domum suam similiter ut die dominica paschae, hora noctis secunda. 41. A pascha autem usque ad quinquagesima, id est pentecosten, hic penitus nemo ieiunat, nec ipsi aputactitae qui sunt. Nam semper ipsos dies sicut toto anno ita ad Anastase de pullo primo usque ad mane consuetudinaria aguntur, similiter et ad sexta et ad lucernare. Dominicis autem diebus semper in Martyrio, id est in ecclesia maiore, proceditur iuxta consuetudinem et inde itur ad Anastase cum ymnis. Quarta feria autem et sexta feria, quoniam ipsis diebus penitus nemo ieiunat, in Syon proceditur, sed mane; fit missa ordine suo. 42. Die autem quadragesimarum post pascha, id est quinta feria, pridie omnes post sexta, id est quarta feria, in Bethleem uadunt propter uigilias celebrandas. Fiunt autem uigiliae in ecclesia in Bethleem, in qua ecclesia spelunca est ubi natus est Dominus. Alia die autem, id est quinta feria quadragesimarum, celebratur missa ordine suo, ita ut et presbyteri et episcopus predicent dicentes apte diei et loco; et postmodum sera reuertuntur unusquisque in Ierusolima. 43. 1. Quinquagesimarum autem die, id est dominica, qua die maximus labor est populo, aguntur omnia sic de pullo quidem primo iuxta consuetudinem: uigilatur in Anastase, ut legat episcopus locum illum euangelii, qui semper dominica die legitur, id est resurrectionem Domini; et postmodum sic ea aguntur in Anastase, quae consuetudinaria sunt, sicut toto anno.

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Lord came in to the disciples, that is, when one of the disciples was not there, that is, Thomas, and when he returned and the other apostles told him that they had seen the Lord, he said, ‘I do not believe unless I shall see.’95 When this has been read, then prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed, then the faithful, and everyone returns to their home late, about the second hour of the night. 40. 1. Then on the octave of Pascha, that is, the Lord’s Day, immediately after the sixth hour all the people go up to Eleona with the bishop; first they sit for a while in the church that is there; hymns are recited, antiphons appropriate to the day and place are recited, prayers likewise appropriate to the day and place are made. Then they go up from there with hymns to the Imbomon, and they similarly do there what was also done in the former place. And when it begins to be the time, all the people and all the apotactitae lead the bishop with hymns to the Anastasis. They arrive at the Anastasis at the time when Lucernarium is accustomed to be done. 2. So Lucernarium is done both at the Anastasis and at the Cross, and from there all the people as one lead the bishop with hymns to Sion. When they have come there, hymns appropriate to the place and day are similarly recited, then that passage from the gospel is also read where on the octave of Pascha the Lord entered where the disciples were and reproved Thomas because he had been unbelieving.96 And then the whole of that reading is read; afterward prayer is made; when the catechumens and the faithful have been blessed according to the custom, everyone returns to their home just as on the Lord’s Day of Pascha at the second hour of the night. 41. From Pascha until the fiftieth day, that is, Pentecost, no one at all fasts here, not even those who are apotactitae. For on those days just as in the rest of the year the customary things are always done at the Anastasis from first cockcrow until morning, similarly at the sixth hour and at Lucernare. On the Lord’s Days they always assemble according to the custom in the Martyrium, that is, the major church, and from there they go to the Anastasis with hymns. On the fourth and sixth days of the week, because no one at all fasts on those days, they assemble on Sion, but in the morning; the service is done in its order. 42. On the fortieth day after Pascha, that is, the fifth day of the week, all go on the previous day, that is, on the fourth day of the week, after the sixth hour to Bethlehem to celebrate the vigil.* The vigil is done in the church in Bethlehem, the church in which there is the cave where the Lord was born. The next day, that is, the fifth day of the week, the fortieth day, the liturgy is celebrated in its order, such that both the presbyters and the bishop preach, saying what is appropriate to the day and place, and afterward everyone returns late to Jerusalem. 43. 1. On the fiftieth day, that is, the Lord’s Day, when there is very great labour for the people, everything is done from first cockcrow according to the custom: they keep vigil in the Anastasis, so that the bishop may read that passage of the gospel that is always read on the Lord’s Day, that is, the Lord’s resurrection, and afterward those things are then done in the Anastasis that are customary, as in the rest of the year.

95 Cf. Jn 20:19–25. 96 Cf. Jn 20:26–31.

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2. Cum autem mane factum fuerit, procedit omnis populus in ecclesia maiore, id est ad Martyrium, aguntur etiam omnia, quae consuetudinaria sunt agi; predicant presbyteri, postmodum episcopus, aguntur omnia legitima, id est offertur iuxta consuetudinem, qua dominica die consueuit fieri; sed eadem adceleratur missa in Martyrium, ut ante hora tertia fiat. Quemadmodum enim missa facta fuerit ad Martyrium, omnis populus usque ad unum cum ymnis ducent episcopum in Syon, sed ut hora tertia plena in Syon sint. 3. Vbi cum uentum fuerit, legitur ille locus de actus apostolorum, ubi descendit spiritus, ut omnes linguae intellegerent quae dicebantur; postmodum fit ordine suo missa. Nam presbyteri de hoc ipsud, quod lectum est, quia ipse est locus in Syon, alia modo ecclesia est, ubi quondam post passionem Domini collecta erat multitudo cum apostolis, qua hoc factum est, ut superius diximus, legunt ibi de actibus apostolorum. Postmodum fit ordine suo missa, offertur et ibi, et iam ut dimittatur populus mittit uocem archidiaconus et dicet: ‘Hodie statim post sexta omnes in Eleona parati simus in Inbomon.’ 4. Reuertitur ergo omnis populus unusquisque in domum suam resumere se, et statim post prandium ascenditur mons Oliueti, id est in Eleona, unusquisque quomodo potest, ita ut nullus Christianus remaneat in ciuitate, qui non omnes uadent. 5. Quemadmodum ergo subitum fuerit in monte Oliueti, id est in Eleona, primum itur in Imbomon, id est in eo loco, unde ascendit Dominus in caelis, et ibi sedet episcopus et presbyteri, sed et omnis populus, leguntur ibi lectiones, dicuntur interposite ymni, dicuntur et antiphonae aptae diei ipsi et loco; orationes etiam, quae interponuntur, semper tales pronuntiationes habent, ut et diei et loco conueniunt. Legitur etiam et ille locus de euangelio ubi dicit de ascensu Domini; legitur et denuo de actus apostolorum, ubi dicit de ascensu Domini in celis post resurrectionem. 6. Cum autem hoc factum fuerit, benedicuntur cathecumini, sic fideles, et hora iam nona descenditur inde et cum ymnis itur ad illam ecclesiam, quae et ipsa in Eleona est, id est in qua spelunca sedens docebat Dominus apostolos. Ibi autem cum uentum fuerit, iam est hora plus decima; fit ibi lucernare, fit oratio, benedicuntur cathecumini et sic fideles. Et iam inde descenditur cum ymnis, omnis populus usque ad unum toti cum episcopo ymnos dicentes uel antiphonas aptas diei ipsi; sic uenitur lente et lente usque ad Martyrium.

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2. When morning has come, all the people assemble in the major church, that is, the Martyrium, everything also is done that it is customary to do; the presbyters preach, afterward the bishop; all that is proper is done, that is, the oblation is made according to the custom by which it is customary to be done on the Lord’s Day, but the liturgy is hastened in the Martyrium so that it may be done before the third hour. For when the dismissal has been done at the Martyrium, all the people as one will lead the bishop with hymns to Sion, but so that they may be on Sion at the full third hour. 3. When they have come there, that passage from the Acts of the Apostles is read where the Spirit descends so that all tongues that were spoken might be understood;97 afterward the liturgy is done in its order. For the presbyters read there from the Acts of the Apostles from this that is read, because that is the place on Sion—another church is there now*—where once after the Lord’s passion a crowd had gathered with the apostles when this was done, as we said above. Afterward the liturgy is done in its order, the oblation is also made there, and as the people are dismissed, the archdeacon raises his voice and says, ‘Today immediately after the sixth hour let us all be ready on Eleona at the Imbomon.’ 4. So, all the people return each to their home, and immediately after breakfast they ascend the Mount of Olives, that is, on Eleona, each one as they are able, so that no Christian remains in the city but they all go. 5. So, when they have gone up the Mount of Olives, that is, on Eleona, they go first to the Imbomon, that is, to the place from which the Lord ascended into heaven, and there the bishop and presbyters sit, but also all the people; readings are read there, in between hymns are recited, also antiphons appropriate to that day and place; prayers also that are interspersed always have such expressions that are fitting to both the day and the place. That passage from the gospel is also read where it speaks of the Lord’s ascension;98 then there is a reading from the Acts of the Apostles where it speaks of the Lord’s ascension into heaven after the resurrection.99 6. When this has been done, the catechumens are blessed, then the faithful, and at the ninth hour they come down from there and go with hymns to that church which is also on Eleona, that is, in the cave where the Lord sat and taught the apostles. When they have come there, it is already past the tenth hour. Lucernare is done there, prayer is made, the catechumens and then the faithful are blessed. And they come down from there with hymns, all the people completely as one reciting with the bishop the hymns and antiphons appropriate to that day; so they come very slowly to the Martyrium.

97 Cf. Act 2:1–12. 98 Cf. Lk 24:50–52. 99 Cf. Act 1:9–11.

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7. Cum autem peruenitur ad portam ciuitatis, iam nox est et occurrent candele ecclesiasticae uel ducente propter populo. De porta autem, quoniam satis est usque ad ecclesia maiore, id est ad Martirium, porro hora noctis forsitan secunda peruenitur, quia lente et lente itur totum pro populo, ne fatigentur pedibus. Et apertis baluis maioribus, quae sunt de quintana parte, omnis populus intrat in Martyrium cum ymnis et episcopo. Ingressi autem in ecclesia, dicuntur ymni, fit oratio, benedicuntur cathecumini et sic fideles; et inde denuo cum ymnis itur ad Anastase. 8. Similiter ad Anastase cum uentum fuerit, dicuntur ymni seu antiphone, fit oratio, benedicuntur cathecumini, sic fideles; similiter fit et ad Crucem. Et denuo inde omnis populus Christianus usque ad unum cum ymnis ducunt episcopum usque ad Syon. 9. Vbi cum uentum fuerit, leguntur lectiones aptae, dicuntur psalmi uel antiphone, fit oratio, benedicuntur cathecumini et sic fideles, et fit missa. Missa autem facta accedunt omnes ad manum episcopi et sic reuertuntur unusquisque ad domum suam hora noctis forsitan media. Ac sic ergo maximus labor in ea die suffertur, quoniam de pullo primo uigilatum est ad Anastase et inde per tota die nunquam cessatum est; et sic omnia quae celebrantur protrahuntur, ut nocte media post missa, quae facta fuerit in Sion, omnes ad domos suas reuertantur. 44. 1. Iam autem de alia die quinquagesimarum omnes ieiunant iuxta consuetudinem sicut toto anno, qui prout potest, excepta die sabbati et dominica, qua nunquam ieiunatur in hisdem locis. Etiam postmodum ceteris diebus ita singula aguntur ut toto anno, id est semper, de pullo primo ad Anastase uigiletur. 2. Nam si dominica dies est, primum leget de pullo primo episcopus euangelium iuxta consuetudinem intro Anastase locum resurrectionis Domini, qui semper dominica die legitur, et postmodum ymni seu antiphone usque ad lucem dicuntur in Anastase. Si autem dominica dies non est, tantum quod ymni uel antiphone similiter de pullo primo usque ad lucem dicuntur in Anastase. 3. Aputactitae omnes uadent, de plebe autem qui quomodo possunt uadent, clerici autem cotidie uicibus uadent de pullo primo; episcopus autem albescente uadet semper, ut missa fiat matutina, cum omnibus clericis, excepta dominica die, quia necesse est illum de pullo primo ire, ut euangelium legat in Anastase. Denuo ad horam sextam aguntur, quae consuetudinaria sunt, in Anastase, similiter et ad nona, similiter et ad lucernare iuxta consuetudinem, quam consueuit toto anno fieri. Quarta autem et sexta feria semper nona in Syon fit iuxta consuetudinem. 45. 1. Et illud etiam scribere debui, quemadmodum docentur hi qui baptidiantur per pascha. Nam qui dat nomen suum, ante diem quadragesimarum dat et omnium nomina annotat presbyter, hoc est ante illas octo septimanas, quibus dixi hic attendi quadragesimas.

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7. When they arrive at the gate of the city, it is already night and about two hundred church candles are available for the people. Because it is some distance from the gate to the major church, that is, to the Martyrium, they arrive about the second hour of the night, because they go all the way very slowly for the sake of the people, lest their feet are tired. And the great doors that are on the side of the Quintana* having been opened, all the people enter the Martyrium with hymns and with the bishop. Having gone into the church, hymns are recited, prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed and then the faithful; and then from there they go with hymns to the Anastasis. 8. Similarly when they have come to the Anastasis, hymns and antiphons are recited, prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed, then the faithful; the same is also done at the Cross. And then from there all the Christian people as one lead the bishop with hymns to Sion. 9. When they have come there, appropriate readings are read, psalms and antiphons are recited, prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed and then the faithful, and the dismissal is done. When the dismissal has been done, all come to the bishop’s hand and then everyone returns to their home about the middle hour of the night. Thus, they endure very great labour that day, because they kept vigil from first cockcrow at the Anastasis and from there never stopped for the whole day; every celebration lasts so long that all return to their homes in the middle of the night after the dismissal that was done on Sion. 44. 1. From the day after the fiftieth day all fast according to the custom as in the rest of the year, as they are able, except on the Sabbath day and the Lord’s Day, when there is never fasting in these places. Also afterward on the rest of the days everything is done as in the whole year, that is, vigil is always kept from first cockcrow at the Anastasis. 2. For if it is the Lord’s Day, from first cockcrow the bishop first reads the gospel according to the custom inside the Anastasis, the passage about the Lord’s resurrection, which is always read on the Lord’s Day, and afterward hymns and antiphons are recited in the Anastasis until daybreak. But if it is not the Lord’s Day, only hymns and antiphons are similarly recited in the Anastasis from first cockcrow until daybreak. 3. All the apotactitae go, and those of the people who are able go, and the clergy in turn each day go from first cockcrow; but the bishop always comes as it begins to get light so that the morning service may be done with all the clergy, except on the Lord’s Day, when it is necessary for him to go from first cockcrow so that he may read the gospel in the Anastasis. Then at the sixth hour they do what is customary in the Anastasis, similarly also at the ninth hour, similarly also at Lucernare according to the custom which it is customary to do the whole year. But on the fourth and sixth days of the week the ninth hour is always done on Sion according to the custom. 45. 1. And I ought also to write how those who will be baptized at Pascha are instructed. For those who give in their names give them in on the day before Quadragesima, and a presbyter writes down the names of all, that is, before those eight weeks for which I have said Quadragesima is kept here.

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2. Cum autem annotauerit omnium nomina presbyter, postmodum alia die de quadragesimis, id est qua inchoantur octo ebdomadae, ponitur episcopo cathedra media ecclesia maiore, id est ad Martyrium, sedent hinc et inde presbyteri in cathedris et stant clerici omnes. Et sic adducuntur unus et unus conpetens; si uiri sunt, cum patribus suis ueniunt, si autem feminae, cum matribus suis. 3. Et sic singulariter interrogat episcopus uicinos eius, qui intrauit, dicens: ‘Si bonae uitae est hic, si parentibus deferet, si ebriacus non est aut uanus?’ Et singula uitia, quae sunt tamen grauiora in homine, requiret. 4. Et si probauerit sine reprehensione esse de his omnibus, quibus requisiuit presentibus testibus, annotat ipse manu sua nomen illius. Si autem in aliquo accusatur, iubet illum foras exire dicens: ‘Emendet se et, cum emendauerit se, tunc accedet ad lauacrum.’ Sic de uiris, sic de mulieribus requirens dicit. Si quis autem peregrinus est, nisi testimonia habuerit, qui eum nouerint, non tam facile accedet ad baptismum. 46. 1. Hoc autem, dominae sorores, ne extimaretis sine ratione fieri, scribere debui. Consuetudo est enim hic talis, ut qui accedunt ad baptismum per ipsos dies quadraginta, quibus ieiunatur, primum mature a clericis exorcizentur, mox missa facta fuerit de Anastase matutina. Et statim ponitur cathedra episcopo ad Martyrium in ecclesia maiore, et sedent omnes in giro prope episcopo, qui baptidiandi sunt, tam uiri quam mulieres, stant etiam loco patres uel matres, nec non etiam qui uolunt audire de plebe omnes intrant et sedent, sed fideles. 2. Cathecuminus autem ibi non intrat tunc qua episcopus docet illos legem, id est sic: inchoans a Genese per illos dies quadraginta percurret omnes Scripturas, primum exponens carnaliter et sic illud soluens spiritualiter. Nec non etiam et de resurrectione, similiter et de fide omnia docentur per illos dies; hoc autem cathecisis appellatur. 3. Et iam quando completae fuerint septimanae quinque, a quo docentur, tunc accipient simbolum; cuius simboli rationem similiter, sicut omnium Scripturarum ratione, exponet eis singulorum sermonum, primum carnaliter et sic spiritualiter, ita et simbolum exponet. Ac sic est ut in hisdem locis omnes fideles sequantur Scripturas, quando leguntur in ecclesia, quia omnes docentur per illos dies quadraginta, id est ab hora prima usque ad horam tertiam, quoniam per tres horas fit cathecisin. 4. Deus autem scit, dominae sorores, quoniam maiores uoces sunt fidelium, qui ad audiendum intrant in cathecisen, ad ea quae dicuntur uel exponuntur per episcopum, quam quando sedet et predicat in ecclesia ad singula, quae taliter exponuntur. Missa autem facta cathecisis, hora iam tertia statim inde cum ymnis ducitur episcopus ad Anastase et fit missa ad tertia; ac sic tribus horis docentur ad die per septimanas septem. Octaua enim septimana quadragesimarum, id est quae appellatur septimana maior, iam non uacat eos doceri, ut impleantur ea, quae superius dicta sunt.

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2. When the presbyter has written down the names of all, afterward on the next day of Quadragesima, that is, when the eight weeks begin, a chair is placed for the bishop in the middle of the major church, that is, at the Martyrium, the presbyters sit in chairs on each side and all the clergy stand. And then the competentes* are brought forward one by one; if they are males, they come with their ‘fathers’, but if females, with their ‘mothers.’ 3. And then the bishop asks the neighbours of each one who has entered, saying, ‘Is this person of a good life, obedient to their parents, not a drunkard or a liar?’ And he makes inquiry about particular vices that are more serious in people. 4. And if they prove to be without blame in all these matters in which he has made inquiry of the witnesses present, he himself writes down their names with his own hand. But if they are accused in any matter, he orders them to go outside, saying, ‘Let them amend themselves, and when they have amended themselves, then let them come to the bath.’ He speaks thus when making inquiry both of the men and of the women. If someone is a stranger, unless they have testimonies from those who know them, they do not so easily come to baptism. 46. 1. I must write this, lady sisters, lest you think that it is done without explanation. For the custom here is such that those who come to baptism during those forty days in which there is fasting are first exorcized by the clergy early, as soon as the morning dismissal from the Anastasis has been done. And a chair is immediately placed for the bishop at the Martyrium, in the major church, and all who are to be baptized, both male and female, sit in a circle around the bishop; the ‘fathers’ and ‘mothers’ stand there also, and also all those of the people who wish to listen—but [only] the faithful—come in and sit. 2. A catechumen does not enter there then when the bishop teaches them the law, that is, thus: beginning from Genesis he goes through all the Scriptures during those forty days, first explaining them literally and then interpreting them spiritually. They are also taught both about the resurrection and similarly everything about the faith during those days; this is called catechesis. 3. And when five weeks have been completed in which they are taught, then they receive the Creed; he explains to them the meaning of the Creed in a similar way to the meaning of all the Scriptures, each article first literally and then spiritually; so also he explains the Creed. And so it is that in these places all the faithful follow the Scriptures when they are read in church, because they are all taught during those forty days, that is, from the first hour to the third hour, because catechesis is done for three hours. 4. God knows, lady sisters, that the voices of the faithful who come in to listen to the catechesis are louder at those things that are said or explained by the bishop than at those things that are explained in this way when he sits and preaches in church. The dismissal from the catechesis having been done at the third hour, the bishop is immediately led from there with hymns to the Anastasis and the dismissal takes place at the third hour; and so they are taught for three hours a day for seven weeks, for in the eighth week of Quadragesima, that is, what is called Great Week, there is no time for them to be taught so that those things that are described above may be carried out.

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5. Cum autem iam transierint septem septimanae, superat illa una septimana paschalis, quam hic appellant septimana maior, iam tunc uenit episcopus mane in ecclesia maiore ad Martyrium. Retro in absida post altarium ponitur cathedra episcopo, et ibi unus et unus uadet, uiri cum patre suo aut mulier cum matre sua, et reddet simbolum episcopo. 6. Reddito autem simbolo episcopo, alloquitur omnes episcopus et dicet: ‘Per istas septem septimanas legem omnem edocti estis Scripturarum nec non etiam de fide audistis; audistis etiam et de resurrectione carnis, sed et simboli omnem rationem, ut potuistis tamen adhuc cathecumini audire: uerum autem quae sunt misterii altioris, id est ipsius baptismi, quia adhuc cathecumini, audire non potestis. 47. 1. Post autem uenerint dies paschae, per illos octo dies, id est a pascha usque ad octauas, quemadmodum missa facta fuerit de aecclesia, et itur cum ymnis ad Anastase, mox fit oratio, benedicuntur fideles et stat episcopus incumbens in cancello interiore, qui est in spelunca Anastasis, et exponet omnia, quae aguntur in baptismo. 2. Illa enim hora cathecuminus nullus accedet ad Anastase; tantum neofiti et fideles, qui uolunt audire misteria, in Anastase intrant. Clauduntur autem ostia, ne qui cathecuminus se dirigat. Disputante autem episcopo singula et narrante, tante uoces sunt collaudantium, ut porro foras ecclesia audiantur uoces eorum. Vere enim ita misteria omnia absoluet, ut nullus non possit commoueri ad ea quae audit sic exponi. 3. Et quoniam in ea prouincia pars populi et grece et siriste nouit, pars etiam alia per se grece, aliqua etiam pars tantum siriste, itaque quoniam episcopus, licet siriste nouerit, tamen semper grece loquitur et nunquam siriste: itaque ergo stat semper presbyter, qui, episcopo grece dicente, siriste interpretatur, ut omnes audiant, quae exponuntur. 4. Lectiones etiam, quecumque in ecclesia leguntur, quia necesse est grece legi, semper stat, qui siriste interpretatur propter populum, ut semper discant. Sane quicumque hic latini sunt, id est qui nec siriste nec grece nouerunt, ne contristentur, et ipsis exponitur eis, quia sunt alii fratres et sorores grecolatini, qui latine exponunt eis. 5. Illud autem hic ante omnia ualde gratum fit et ualde admirabile, ut semper tam ymni quam antiphonae et lectiones nec non etiam et orationes, quas dicet episcopus, tales pronuntiationes habeant, ut et diei, qui celebratur, et loco, in quo agitur, aptae et conuenientes sint semper.

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5. When seven weeks have passed, there remains that one paschal week that they call here Great Week; then the bishop comes in the morning into the major church at the Martyrium. A chair is placed for the bishop at the back in the apse behind the altar, and there they come one by one, males with their ‘fathers’ and females with their ‘mothers’, and repeat the Creed to the bishop. 6. After the Creed has been repeated to the bishop, he addresses them all and says: ‘For these seven weeks you have been taught all the law of the Scriptures and you have also heard about the faith; you have also heard about the resurrection of the flesh and also the whole meaning of the Creed, as far as you can hear while still catechumens: but those things that are of a higher mystery, that is, of baptism itself, you cannot hear, being still catechumens. And lest you should think that anything is done without explanation, when you have been baptized in the name of God, you will hear during the eight paschal days in the Anastasis when the dismissal from the church has been done: because you are still catechumens, the more secret mysteries of God you cannot hear.’ 47. 1. When the days of Pascha have come, during those eight days, that is, from Pascha to the octave, when the dismissal from the church has been done and they go with hymns to the Anastasis, soon prayer is made, the faithful are blessed, and the bishop stands leaning on the inner enclosure that is in the cave of the Anastasis, and explains everything that is done in baptism. 2. For at that time no catechumen comes into the Anastasis; only the neophytes and the faithful who wish to listen to the mysteries enter the Anastasis. The doors are closed lest a catechumen heads there. While the bishop discusses and relates each item, the voices of those praising are such that their voices are heard far outside the church. For indeed he interprets all the mysteries in such a way that no one cannot be moved at those things that they hear so explained. 3. And because in that province some of the people know both Greek and Syriac, others Greek alone, and others only Syriac, and because the bishop, though he may know Syriac, however always speaks Greek and never Syriac, therefore a presbyter always stands by, who, when the bishop is speaking in Greek, translates into Syriac so that everyone may hear what is being explained. 4. The readings also that are read in church, because they must be read in Greek, someone always stands there to translate into Syriac for the sake of the people, so that they may always learn. Indeed, those who are Latin here, that is, who know neither Syriac nor Greek, lest they be disheartened, also have things explained to them, because there are other brothers and sisters who are bilingual who explain to them in Latin. 5. Above all it is very pleasing and very admirable here that both the hymns and the antiphons and the readings as well as the prayers that the bishop recites always have such expressions that they are always appropriate and suitable both to the day that is being celebrated and to the place in which it is being done.

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48. 1. Item dies enceniarum appellantur quando sancta ecclesia, quae in Golgotha est, quam Martyrium uocant, consecrata est Deo; sed et sancta ecclesia, quae est ad Anastase, id est in eo loco ubi Dominus resurrexit post passionem, ea die et ipsa consecrata est Deo. Harum ergo ecclesiarum sanctarum encenia cum summo honore celebrantur, quoniam crux Domini inuenta est ipsa die. 2. Et ideo propter hoc ita ordinatum est, ut quando primum sanctae ecclesiae suprascriptae consecrabantur, ea dies esset qua crux Domini fuerat inuenta, ut simul omni laetitia eadem die celebrarentur. Et hoc per Scripturas sanctas inuenitur, quod ea dies sit enceniarum qua et sanctus Salomon consummata domo Dei, quam edificauerat, steterit ante altarium Dei et orauerit, sicut scriptum est in libris Paralipomenon. 49. 1. Hi ergo dies enceniarum cum uenerint, octo diebus attenduntur. Nam ante plurimos dies incipiunt se undique colligere turbae, non solum monachorum uel aputactitum de diuersis prouinciis, id est tam de Mesopotamia uel Syria uel de Egypto aut Thebaida, ubi plurimi monazontes sunt, sed et de diuersis omnibus locis uel prouinciis; nullus est enim, qui non se eadem die in Ierusolima tendat ad tantam laetitiam et tam honorabiles dies; seculares autem tam uiri quam feminae fideli animo propter diem sanctum similiter se de omnibus prouinciis isdem diebus Ierusolima colligunt. 2. Episcopi autem, quando parui fuerint, hisdem diebus Ierusolima plus quadraginta aut quinquaginta sunt; et cum illis ueniunt multi clerici sui. Et quid plura? putat se maximum peccatum incurrisse, qui in hisdem diebus tante sollennitati inter non fuerit, si tamen nulla necessitas contraria fuerit, que hominem a bono proposito retinet. 3. His ergo diebus enceniarum ipse ornatus omnium ecclesiarum est, qui et per pascha uel per epiphania, et ita per singulos dies diuersis locis sanctis proceditur ut per pascha uel epiphania. Nam prima et secunda die in ecclesia maiore, quae appellatur Martyrium, proceditur. Item tertia die in Eleona, id est in ecclesia, quae est in ipso monte, a quo ascendit Dominus in caelis post passionem, intra qua ecclesia est spelunca illa, in qua docebat Dominus apostolos in monte Oliueti. Quarta autem die …

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48. 1. It is called the day of the Encaenia when the holy church that is on Golgotha, which they call the Martyrium, was consecrated to God; but also the holy church that is at the Anastasis, that is, in that place where the Lord rose after the passion, was also consecrated to God on that day. Thus the Encaenia of these holy churches is celebrated with the greatest honour because the cross of the Lord was found on that day. 2. And so for this reason it was so ordained that when the holy churches listed above were first consecrated, it was that day when the cross of the Lord was found, so that they should be celebrated together with all rejoicing on the same day. And this is found in the holy Scriptures that this day of the Encaenia is when holy Solomon also, having completed the house of God that he had built, stood before the altar of God and prayed, as it is written in the books of Chronicles.100 49. 1. So, when these days of the Encaenia have come, they are kept for eight days. For crowds begin to gather from everywhere very many days before, not only of monks or apotactitae from various provinces, that is, from Mesopotamia and Syria and from Egypt and the Thebaid, where there are very many monazontes, but also from all sorts of places and provinces; for there is no one who does not head for Jerusalem on that day for such rejoicing and for such honourable days; and lay people, both male and female, with faithful mind similarly gather in Jerusalem on those days from all provinces on account of the holy day. 2. Bishops, when they are few, are more than forty or fifty in Jerusalem on those days; and with them come many of their clergy. And—what more [shall I say]?—those who have not been present on these days at such a solemnity think themselves to have committed a very great sin if there has been no contrary necessity that holds someone back from a good intention. 3. So on these days of the Encaenia the adornment of all the churches is like that both during Pascha and during Epiphany, and they assemble each day at various holy places as during Pascha and Epiphany. For they assemble on the first and second day in the major church, which is called the Martyrium; then on the third day on Eleona, that is, in the church that is on that mount from which the Lord ascended into heaven after the passion, the church within which is that cave in which the Lord taught the apostles on the Mount of Olives; on the fourth day …*

100 Cf. 2 Chr 5:1–7:9.

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Notes

1.1. 2.7.

In its present incomplete state, the manuscript begins partway through a sentence. The Latin de contra is translated literally here as ‘from the other side’, but is rendered as ‘at a distance’ by Gingras (1970), 166, n. 20, and as ‘facing you’ by Wilkinson (1999), 108, n. 6. 3.1. Sabbath is the standard early Christian name for Saturday. Coclea means literally a snail, its shape doubtless giving rise to the secondary meaning of a spiral. 3.6. Here ‘everything from the book of Moses’ means the parts of Exodus relevant to the place. ‘Oblation’ is Egeria’s standard word for the Eucharist. Eulogiae, ‘blessings’, is a Greek term commonly used for food items that have been offered and blessed at the Eucharist, but could also be employed to denote gifts, souvenirs, or tokens received by pilgrims. 4.4. The manuscript reading tectum was emended to lectum by several scholars (see Maraval [1982], 140, n. 1), including Gingras (1970), 173–74, who translated it as ‘mentioned in Scripture’, but it makes sense as it stands. 4.8. Solue corrigiam calciamenti tui is not an exact translation of Ex 3:5, ‘Take off your shoes from your feet.’ Was Egeria influenced by a text such as Mk 1:7; Lk 3:16; or Jn 1:27? The manuscript reading locum was emended to loco by Geyer (1898), as here, but the original was retained by several other scholars and variously translated: see Maraval (1982), 142, n. 2. 5.2. ‘Solue corrigiam calciamenti tui’: see note to 4.8, above. 5.4. ‘From the other side’: see note to 2.7, above. 6.1. What she ‘said above’ was presumably in the missing part of the text. 7.2. The word monasteria here in connection with soldiers and officers looks like a scribal error for a word like castra (cf. 7.4), but Maraval (1982), 154, n. 1, discussed the possibility that monasteria might have been used as a popular variant to denote desert military posts. 7.4. For ‘from the other side’, see note to 2.7, above. 7.7. The word κώμη denotes a Greek administrative district. Martyria were the tombs or shrines of martyrs. 9.4. Presumably these ‘farms of the children of Israel’ would have been understood to have been from the pre-exodus days, when Pharaoh allowed the sons of Jacob to settle in the land of Goshen (Gen 45:10–47:6). 9.5. Most commentators understand Tathnis to be Tanis (= Zoan), although some judge it to have been Taphnis/Daphnae (= Tahpanhes), sixteen miles southwest of Pelusium. There is no scriptural testimony that Moses was born in Zoan, the only reference to his connection with it being in Ps 78:12, 43, where he is said to have done wonders there.

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10.1. Arabot (‘plains’j is a mistake for Arabim in the biblical text. 10.4. ‘Forty’ is an error for ‘thirty’ in the biblical text. 10.8. Moses twice struck water from a rock (Ex 17:1–7; Num 20:1–13), but neither time was in the plains of Moab. Cf. also 11.2. 11.1. For eulogiae, see the note to 3.6, above. 12.4. For ‘from the other side’, see the note to 2.7, above. 13.3. The word turbae (‘crowds’) seems odd. Geyer (1898), 418, suggested it was the equivalent of catervae monachorum (cf. 49.1); Bludau (1927), 26, followed by Brodersen (2016), 131, interpreted it as ‘piles of rubble’; Maraval (1982), 185, and Wilkinson (1999), 126, translated it as ‘communities’; and Bernard (1891) and Gingras (1970), 197, n. 171, emended it to tumbae (‘tombs’). 13.4. The word opu seems to be intended as a transliteration of the Greek όπου, ‘where’, as in ‘where Melchizedek offered’ in the next line, but used as the name of the church; cf. ‘on Horeb’ in 4.1. 15.3. The author attempts to reproduce the Greek κήπος του άγίου ´Iωάννου. 15.6. For eulogiae, see the note to 3.6, above. 16.7. The words ‘for three years’ really do not make sense here, and appear to be a scribal error, made because the same words occur in the next sentence. 17.1. For this alleged letter, see Eusebius, Hist. eccl. 1.13.1–9. 19.6. For ‘from the front’, see the note to 2.7, above. 19.8. See 17.1, above. 20.5. The date is 23 April. If this is in apposition to ‘the day before’, then the saint’s day would have been on 24 April, but if it is in apposition to ‘the martyr’s day’, then it would have been on 23 April. 21.3. For eulogiae, see the note to 3.6, above. 21.4. For’the other side’, see the note to 2.7, above. 23.3. Egeria seems to treat the term apotactitae (from the Greek, meaning ‘those set apart’) as a synonym not only for nuns, as here, but also elsewhere for monks too (cf. 23.6). 24.1. The Anastasis was the rotunda of the Resurrection built around the tomb of Jesus. 24.2. The author uses the word missa primarily to denote the concluding act of dismissal in a rite, but in places seems to extend its meaning to cover the whole rite. 24.7. The Cross was the supposed site of Christ’s crucifixion close to the Anastasis. 25.1. There is no manuscript support for ‘not’, but editors generally have been agreed that it must have fallen out, because without it the statement hardly makes sense. 26. Although ‘procession’ is a literal translation of processio (the only occasion when Egeria uses the word), it should probably be rendered by something like ‘assembly’, as the related verb that follows in the sentence, procedo, is regularly used by her to mean ‘assemble for the Eucharist.’ 27.1. The Greek word heortae, ‘festivals’, transliterated in the Latin text, is not otherwise known as the designation of Lent; but cf. its defence by Maraval (1982), 259, n. 1. 27.3. Although the word ‘not’ does not appear in the Latin text, there is general agreement among scholars that it was in the original and has fallen out through a copyist’s error; cf. 25.1 above.

not e s

27.5. Several scholars have suspected that there was a lacuna in the text here, which would have alluded to the suspension of fasting on those days (cf. Maraval [1982], 261, n. 2). Others have rejected the lacuna, but amended the word atque in the manuscript. Geyer (1898), followed by Pétré (1948), Gingras (1970), 228, n. 328, and Brodersen (2016), 191, opted for neque, thus reversing the sense, while Franceschini-Weber (1965) proposed aeque, although a word not otherwise used by Egeria. We have followed Wilkinson (1999), 149, in accepting that latter reading and translating it as ‘still.’ 27.6. Although seemingly not noted by other commentators, the singular presbyter should almost certainly be a plural in line with 25.1; 26; 42. 28.4. The translation, ‘which cannot be sampled’, seems to be one of the least unsatisfactory of several conjectures offered by scholars for the ms. reading quid liberari, which not only is difficult to understand but does not agree grammatically with the preceding panem. These include: quidem libari; qui delibari; quo librari; and quid libari adopted here. See further Gingras (1970), 231, n. 340; Maraval (1982), 266, n. 3. 36.1. Egeria misquotes Lk 22:41 here, substituting acessit, ‘approached’, for avulvus est, ‘withdrew.’ 37.1 According to Matthew, Jesus was scourged by Pilate (27:26) and simply ill-treated at the house of Caiaphas the High Priest (26:67). Maraval (1982), 284, n. 2, amended quae to qua, rendering the clause as, ‘where he now stands’, which he thought made better sense. Others, however, have thought that the original reading referred to the erection of a replica of the cross for this occasion. 37.4. The expression ‘such that it cannot be opened’ doubtless meant that the crowd was so great and so tightly packed together that there was not even room to open a door. 37.8. This part of the standard conclusion to a rite must was probably accidentally omitted by a copyist. 38.1. The ‘infants’ here are not babies, but all who had been born again through baptism (see also 39.3). 39.1. Maraval (1982), 292, amended sero here to octo, which makes much more sense, and has been adopted in the translation. 42. Scholars generally do not now consider this gathering at Bethlehem on the fortieth day to have been a celebration of the Ascension, which instead takes place on the fiftieth day (43.4), but it is unclear what it was: see McGowan & Bradshaw (2018), 97. 43.3. The loose syntax of this sentence, and especially the clause here rendered ‘another church is there now’, has caused translators some difficulties. 43.7. The Quintana (literally, ‘of the fifth’) was the street in a Roman military camp where the market was located, and hence came to be used as a term for the market in a city. 45.2. Competentes is a standard term to denote those of the catechumens enrolled in the final period of preparation for baptism. The ‘fathers’ and ‘mothers’ are not the biological parents of infant candidates, but the sponsors or godparents of all candidates (cf. 38.1; 39.3). 49.3. The manuscript breaks off mid-sentence.

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Appendix

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Appendix A: Fragmentary Texts Although nearly all of what is extant from the Itinerarium is contained in the single manuscript reproduced here, there are a small number of fragments of the text in two other manuscripts. De Bruyne (1909) published a set of eleven very short passages from a ninth-century manuscript from Toledo that was in the Biblioteca Nacional in Madrid, the Codex Matritensis Toletanus 14.24. These were obviously based on the Itinerarium and were apparently intended to form a series of topographical notes. Most of them simply provide some variant readings of no significance, but two evidently come from the lacuna between 16.4 and 16.5: In eo loco in monte Syna ubi descendit maiestas domini Dei qua fumabat, nunc ibi aeclesia est non grandis [cf. 3.2–3], nam ipse mons totus pitrineus est, sancti monaci ibi habitant usque hodie [cf. 3.6]. Dicit de loco ubi rubus ardebat, ubi maiestas Moysi loqutus est, sanctam ibi aeclesia et monasterium bonum [cf. 4.7]. Item ubi percussit Moyses petram et produxit aquam, aeglesiae est ibi parua et monasterius bonus [cf. 10.8–9]. De Segor usque ubi uxor Lot facta est statua salis habet sex milia; que iam non comparet, quia locus maris Mortui iam illam cooperuit [cf. 12.7] Ciuitas Iob dicitur Dennaba in finibus Idumeae et Harabiae [cf. 13.2]. Item locum ubi Melcisedech primitus obtulit panem et uinum dicitur Salem, dicitur et Sedima; ibi est fundata aeglesia [cf. 13.4]. Ciuitas sancti Aeliae dicitur Tesbe, ibi et iacet Iepte [cf. 16.1]. Item uallis ubi corbus escam Aeliae afferebat dicitur Corra [cf. 16.3]. In loco illo ubi Iob sedebat in stirquilinio, modo locus mundus est per girum cancellis ferreis clusum, et candela uitrea magna ibi lucet de sero ad serum. Fontem uero ubi testa saniam radebat, quater in anno colorem mutat, primum ut purulentum habeat colorem, semel sanguineum, semel ut fellitum, et semel ut limpida sit. Hic dicit: egressurum Abraham de Hur Caldeorum ciuitas, uenit primo et habitauit in carpa (in margin: Carra) [cf. 20.1]. Ibi aedificauit domus et ibi est fundata aeclesia de ipsas parietes et ibi iacet corpus sancti martiris Elpidi [cf. 20.5]. De ipso loco usque in domos Tare unde exiit Abraham mansiones sunt decem quinque usque in Niuizin, et quinque usque in Hur [cf. 20.12]. Item puteum unde Rebecca dat aquam pueri Abrahe nomine Aeleazar, eclesia est ibi hodie [cf. 20.4]. Finis. The two passages above that are seemingly based on parts of the lacuna may be translated as follows: In that place where Job sat on a dunghill there is now a clear space surrounded by iron railings and a large glass lamp burns there from night to night. The spring where he scraped his sores with a potsherd, it changes colour four times a year, first so it has the colour of pus, next of blood, next of gall, and next it is clear [cf. Job 2:8].

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Because the other passages do not always reproduce the original word for word, we cannot be sure that these two are exact quotations of the text, although they certainly give some indication of the contents of the missing folio. Much more recently, however, the paleographer Jesús Alturo (2005) discovered two further somewhat larger fragments in a manuscript in a private collection in Madrid that he dated from around the year 900. The first of these covered, on one side, the last word of chapter 15 and the first few lines of chapter 16. On its reverse was a passage evidently from somewhere in the lacuna between 16.4 and 16.5. The other fragment similarly had another passage presumably from that same part of the text, with the final section of chapter 16 on its reverse side. The Latin was difficult to make out in several places, but Brodersen (2016), 138–41, published a more complete rendering, to which we have added an English translation: … non grande … est Denn[aba] … ciuitas … Auside in finibus Arabiae. Ubi stirquilinum … uidimus episcopum … ingressi sumus ad ecclesiam, quae est in ipsa ciuiitate. Ut facta oratione rogauimus ut nobis singula loca ostenderet. Sicut et … facere dignatus est. Nam statim duxit nos ad ipsum locum, ubi fuit stirquilinium—id est ubi sedit sanctus Iob—quod erat tunc ante portam ciuitatis. Nunc autem quattour muri additi sunt in … ciuitatis cum porta propterea quoniam ut ipsud stirquilinium intra ciuitatem includere possit. Qui locus stirquilinii nunc quidem satis mundus est; nam religiose adtendent … columnas quattour quae sufferunt tectum in giro … … not large … is Dennaba … city … in Ausitis within the boundaries of Arabia. Where the dunghill … we saw the bishop … we entered into the church that is in that city. Prayer having been done, we asked that he would show us every place, just as also … he deigned to do. For he immediately led us to that place where the dunghill was, that is, where holy Job sat, which was then in front of the gate of the city. But now four walls have been added in … of the city with a gate for this reason, so that the dunghill could be enclosed within the city. That place of the dunghill is now indeed quite clear; for they look after it carefully … four columns that support the roof around … … auxilio … uenissemus … ingressi sim[us] …ti area erit … a area … de ultra ut … eade[m] nimiu[m] connectatis … sinna. Hoc aut satis mirati sumus. Ibi erant tota conmembra quae … habebat et porticus grandis. Et omnis fabrica ipsius sine materia tectus erat ualde fortis, nam de lapide firmissimo, ac si trabes facti sunt infixa ui fabricam totam ipsam sustinent de arcu in arcu, quoniam fretus arcus habet ita tamen ut duodenos pedes inter se habeant illi arcus. Ingressi sumus hora fortisan decima, facta est oratio et singula quae consueueramus facere ubique ad loca desiderata ueniebamus. Et quoniam sexta feria erat, nocte … … with the help … we would have come …we entered … will be an area … an area … from beyond that … the same joined together exceedingly … we marvelled greatly at this. There were all the parts that … also had a large porch. And its whole building was completely roofed without wood. For, as if beams have been made from the hardest stone, they support the whole building with

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firm strength from arch to arch, as it has supporting arches such that those arches have twelve feet between them. We entered about the tenth hour; prayer and everything was done that we had been accustomed to do wherever we came to places that we desired. And as it was the sixth day of the week, at night …

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Appendix B: The Letter of Valerius As noted above (p. 10), the Spanish monk Valerius of Bierzo (or Vierzo) wrote this letter to his fellow monks at a Galician monastery toward the end of the seventh century for their spiritual edification. Its subject was ‘the blessed Egeria.’ It has been preserved in five manuscripts, one of which is lost and known only through three later copies. They are of varying quality and range in date from the tenth to the thirteenth centuries. There have been a number of printed editions from the eighteenth century onwards, the most recent being that by Díaz (1982), accompanied by a detailed introduction and apparatus criticus. This is used by permission of Sources Chrétiennes for the Latin text adopted here, alongside a new English translation, the only earlier one having been published in Wilkinson (1999), 200–04.

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EPISTOLA BEATISSIME EGERIE LAVDE CONSCRIPTA FRATRVM BERGIDENSIVM MONACHORVM A VALERIO CONLATA 1. Queso ut intento corde pensetis, sancti et Deo placiti fratres, quanta sit exercitatio operum diuersorum premia adipiscendi regni celorum. Dum fortissimorum sanctorumque uirorum uirtutum adtendimus acta, feminee fragilitatis magis constantissima admiratur uirtutis efficacia, sicut beatissime Egerie, cunctorum secularium fortioris uirorum, eximia narrat storia. Itaque dum olim almifica fidei catholice crepundia lucifluaque sacre religionis inmensa claritas huius occidue plage sera processione tandem refulsisset extremitas, idem beatissima sanctimonialis Egeria flamma desiderii gratie diuine succensa, maiestatis Domini opitulante uirtute, totis nisibus intrepido corde inmensum totius orbis arripuit iter; sicque paulisper duce Domino gradiendo, peruenit ad sacratissima et desiderabilia loca natiuitatis, passionis et resurrectionis Domini, atque innumerabilium sanctorum per diuersas prouincias uel ciuitates corpora martirum, orationis gratia edificationisque peritia. Quanto plus sancto dogmate indepta, tanto amplius inexplicabilis estuabat in corde eius sancti desiderii flamma: cuncta igitur Veteris ac Noui Testamenti omni indagatione percurrens volumina, et quacumque sanctarum mirabiliorum loca in diuersis mundi partibus, prouinciis, ciuitatibus, montibus, ceterisque desertis repperit esse conscripta, sollicita expeditione licet per multa annorum spatia peregrinando proficiscens, tamen cuncta cum Dei iubamine perlustrans, tandem parte Orientis ingressa, sanctorum summo cum desiderio Thebeorum uisitans monachorum gloriosissima congregationum cenobia, similiter et sancta anachoretarum ergastula. Vnde benedictionibus sanctorum plerumque munita, et dulce alimonia karitatis refecta, ad cunctas Egypti conuertit prouincias et omnes antique peregrinationis Srahelitici populi summa intentione perquirens habitationes, singularumque prouinciarum magnitudines, uberrimas fertilitates atque prespicuas urbiumque munitiones et uarias pulcritudines, per singula describens cunctarum uenustissimam laudem.

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A LETTER WRITTEN IN PRAISE OF THE MOST BLESSED EGERIA ADDRESSED TO HIS BROTHER MONKS OF BIERZO BY VALERIUS 1. I beg that you ponder with an attentive heart, holy brothers pleasing to God, how great should be the practice of various tasks to gain the rewards of the kingdom of heaven. While we give heed to the acts of virtue of the greatest holy men, more greatly to be admired is the most steadfast accomplishment of virtue of a fragile woman, such as the extraordinary story tells of the most blessed Egeria, more courageous than all the men of the ages. Thus, when once the beneficent beginnings of the catholic faith and the immense illuminating brightness of our religion in a late advance had at last shone on this furthest western region, this most blessed holy woman Egeria, set on fire with the flame of desire by divine grace, with the aid of the power of the majesty of the Lord, with all her strength and with an intrepid heart she set out on an immense journey across the whole world. Advancing little by little with the Lord as her leader, she reached the most holy and desirable places of the birth, passion, and resurrection of the Lord, also the bodies of innumerable holy martyrs throughout various provinces and cities, for the sake of prayer and the experience of learning. The more she was grasped by holy doctrine, the more the inexplicable fire of holy desire burned in her heart. Therefore, going through all the books of the Old and New Testaments with all diligence, she discovered whatever places of holy wonders were recorded in different parts of the world, provinces, cities, mountains, and deserts. She set out on her journey with eager anticipation, even though it would be for many periods of years. At length with God’s help she visited them all. At length she entered part of the East; with a strong desire for the holy ones of the Thebaid, she visited the most glorious monasteries of religious communities, similarly also the holy cells of anchorites. From there, strongly fortified by the blessings of the holy ones, and refreshed with the sweet nourishment of their charity, she returned through all the provinces of Egypt and searched out with close attention all the dwellings of the ancient journey of the people of Israel and the greatness of each of the provinces, their very rich and outstanding fertility and the buildings and diverse beauty of the cities, describing them all one by one with the most extended praise.

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2. Posthec sacratissimi montis Domini, gratia orationis, desiderio denique inflammata, egressionis filiorum Srahel ex Egypto sequens uestigia, ingressa est uastas solitudines et diuersa eremi deserta, que ad singula Exodi libri declarat storia. Vbi Sraheliticus populus triduo sitiens, ambulans sine aqua atque ubi illis murmurantibus ex durissima petra eduxit Dominus per Moysem inextimabilem aquam et eorum fides permansit ingrata, ibi in corde istius Deum sitientis infiuit fons aque uiue salientis in uitam eternam. Et ubi multitudo illa esuriens ex dispensatione diuina sancta de celo fiuente percepit manna, insuper fastidiens Egypti execranda quesiuit alimenta, ibi ista cibo uerbi Dei refecta, infatigabiliter agens gratias Deo, carpebat iter intrepida. Illi autem crebro uocem Domini audientes, gratiam eius die noctuque in columna nubis atque ignis precedere cernebant, insuper ambigui retro redire cogitabant; hec euangelica uoce semel indepta, ad montem Domini proculdubio gaudens properabat, nulla aesitatione detenta. Ili quadraginta dierum spatio Moysen cum lege Dei non sustinentes, idola sibi pro deo fabricauerant sculptile; hec autem aduentum Domini post finem seculi expectans uelut presentem adtendens ad montem sanctum Syna—unde eum speramus in nubibus celi tempore suo aduenire—, feminea fragilitate oblita, huius montis ardua proceritate, cuius cacumen usque ad nubium altitudinem contiguum eminet, infatigabili gressu dextera diuina subleuata peruolat. Sic ope diuine pietatis euehente, ad eius saxei montis sanctam peruenit summitatem, ubi ipsa diuina maiestas, omnipotens Deus, dum beato Moysi sanctam preberet legem, dignatus est habitare, ubi cum omni exultationis letitia inter crebra orationum preconia salutares Deo obtulit ostias, et infinitas gloriose maiestatis eius referens gratias ad uisenda alteriora precessit.

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2. Next, inflamed by a desire to go at last to the most sacred mountain of the Lord for the sake of prayer, following the traces of the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, she entered the vast solitudes and various desert areas that the account in the book of Exodus sets out in detail. Where the Israelite people, suffering from thirst, walked for three days without water, and where in response to their murmuring the Lord through Moses brought abundant water from the hardest rock and their faith remained ungrateful,1 there in the heart of this woman thirsting for God flowed a fountain of living water, welling up to eternal life.2 And where that multitude were hungry and by divine dispensation received holy manna descending from heaven,3 yet distainfully longed for the execrable food of Egypt; there, refreshed by the food of God’s word, unceasingly giving thanks to God, she intrepidly pursued her way. But they, repeatedly hearing the voice of the Lord, saw his grace go before them day and night in a column of cloud and of fire,4 yet indecisively considered turning back; she, once grasped by the voice of the Gospel, headed for the mountain of the Lord, rejoicing without any doubt and held back by no hesitation. They, unable to wait for the space of forty days for Moses with God’s law, made for themselves a carved idol as a god;5 she, looking for the coming of the Lord after the end of the age as if experiencing him present on the holy mountain of Sinai—from where we hope him to come on the clouds of heaven at his own time—oblivious of her feminine fragility, she flew with indefatigable steps, upheld by the divine right hand, up the steep side of this mountain, the top of which rises to an altitude touching the clouds. So, borne by the power of her divine piety, she reached the holy summit of its rocky mountain, where the divine majesty itself, almighty God, was pleased to dwell while giving the holy law to Moses;6 and where with all joy of exaltation between repeated praise of prayers, she offered to God saving offerings; and rendering thanks to the infinity of his glorious majesty, she went on to see other places.



1 2 3 4 5 6

Cf. Ex 15:22, 24; 17:6. Cf. Jn 4:14. Cf. Ex 16:2–4. Cf. Ex 13:21. Cf. Ex 24:18; 32:1–4. Cf. Ex 24:16.

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3. Denique super quod uniuersi paene orbis terrarum lustrauit confinia, etiam et aliorum similiter curauit ingentissimorum conscendere cacumina montium, id est precelsum montem Nabau, sepe dicti Sine similem, de cuius summitatis uertice beatus Moyses terram repromissionis est intuitus et in eodem loco decidens dicitur ab angelis fuisse sepultus; alium superinminentem Faran ualde procerrimum, in cuius summitate erectis braciis orauit Moyses pugnante populo, donec uictoria fieret; necnon et inmanissimi montis Tabor supercilium, ubi Dominus cum Moysen et Eliam discipulis glorificatus apparuit; atque alium eiusdem conparem ualde ingentem, qui uocatur Ermon, in quo se Dominus cum discipulis suis reficere consueuit; aliumque ualde excelsum, in quo Dominus discipulos beatitudines docuit, qui appellatur Heremus; et alium similiter altum nimis, qui dicitur mons Elie, in quo habitauit Elias propheta et centum prophete absconsi sunt; item horum similem super Hierico inminentem similiter a Domino consecratum. Quos cunctos pari predestinatione conscendens, et quia per singulis hisdem locis singula sanctarum eclesiarum constructa sunt altaria, ubique cum gaudii exultatione et gratiarum actione sua omnipotenti Deo obtulit uota. 4. Igitur pala datur intellegi, quia dum altitudinem regni celorum, consortium sanctarum uirginum in paradiso deliciarum et premia gratiarum ardenti animo et totis uisceribus summoque desiderio inpetrare quesiuit, tot montium infatigabiliter inaccessibilibus saltim inlata uerticibus, opitulante Domino tam ingentis fastigii penuriam feruenti animo leuiter tulit. Quis pensare poterit quantus in corde eius riguerit futuri iudicii timor, quantus dilectionis summe karitatis fluctuauerit amor, quantusque exarserit spei diuine ac fidei feruentissimus ardor, quam totius mundi itinera non quassauit, maria procellosa ac flumina ingentia non conclusit, montium inmanitas diraque asperitas non inminuit, gentium impiorum truculentissima atrocitas non perterruit, nisi omnem sui desiderii deuotionem, iuuante Domino, usque in finem inreuocabili audacia proculdubio perpetrauit?

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3. Finally, after she had explored the boundaries of nearly all the world, she also desired similarly to climb up to the tops of other very high mountains, that is, the outstanding mount Nebo, similar to the aforementioned Sinai. From the peak of its summit blessed Moses gazed on the promised land and dying in the same place,7 is said to have been buried by angels. Another very great height towers over Faran, on the summit of which Moses prayed with arms outstretched while the people fought until victory should be won;8 also the peak of the steep mount Tabor, where the Lord appeared to his disciples in glory with Moses and Elijah;9 and another very huge one like it, which is called Hermon, on which the Lord was accustomed to rest with his disciples; and another very high one, which is called Eremus, on which the Lord taught the disciples the Beatitudes;10 and another equally lofty one, which is named mount Elijah, on which Elijah the prophet lived and the hundred prophets hid themselves;11 also one similar to these, towering over Jericho, similarly sanctified by the Lord.12 Ascending all these with equal determination, and because in every one of these places altars of holy churches were built, everywhere with the exultation of joy and thanksgiving she offered her prayers to almighty God. 4. Therefore it is clearly granted to know that while she sought with a burning soul and all her body and all her desire to attain to the height of the kingdom of heaven, the company of holy virgins in the paradise of delights, and the rewards of grace, when carrying herself somehow untiringly to the inaccessible peaks of so many mountains, with the Lord’s aid she bore lightly with a fervent mind the effect of such a great climb. Who would be able to ponder what fear of future judgement would harden in her heart, what love of delight in great charity would surge, what most fervent ardor for divine hope and faith would blaze up, she whom journeys of the whole world did not weaken, stormy seas and raging rivers did not hold back, the vastness and terrible harshness of mountains did not impede, the highly ferocious barbarity of wicked peoples did not terrify, but with the Lord’s help she accomplished with irrevocable boldness and without any doubt every devotion of her desire to the end?

7 8 9 10 11 12

Cf. Dt 34:4–5. Cf. Ex 17:9–11. Cf. Mt 17:1–4. Cf. Mt 5:1. Cf. 1 Kgs 18:4. Cf. Mt 4:8.

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5. Ideo, fratres dilectissimi, cur non erubescimus, qui uiribus corporis et integritate salutis consistimus, mulierem patriarche Abrahe sanctum conplesse exemplum, que femineum fragile sexum propter uite eterne premium sempiternum in fortitudine produxit ut ferrum? Quoniam, dum in penuriis contrictionum calcat hunc mundum, in requiem et gloria exultationum adepta est paradisum. Que extremo occidui maris oceani litore exorta, Orienti facta est cognita. Dum anime suequereret remedium, multarum animarum sequendi Deum mirabilem prebuit documentum. Hic requiem noluit habere, ut ad sempiternam gloriam fiducialiter cum palma uictorie perueniret. Hic terrenum corpus terreno onore macerauit, ut celesti Domino celicolam animam innocuam prepararet. Hic se exercuit ultronea libertate peregrinam, ut in choro sanctarum uirginum cum gloriosa celi regina, Domini genetrice Maria, etherea hereditaret regna. 6. Interdum, dilectissimi, qui ultro nos uouimus in religionis abitu fideliter Domino deseruire, ac si non preualeamus huius ineffabilis exempli tante femine meritis aequiperando gratiam Domini promereri, tamen, quia multe sunt uie meritorum que ad unam patriam pergunt regni celorum, in quantum opitulante Domino virtus subsisisteret, in laboribus, in vigiliis, in ieiuniis crebrisque orationibus atque diuerso regulare officiositatis exercitio, sic nos debemus die noctuque infatigabiliter preparare, ab omnibusque inlicitis uoluptatibus et mundanis inlecebris atque diuersis flagitiis abstinere, ne forte dum sub neclegentia hoc exiguum temporis spatium expendimus, tunc quando illa cum sanctis uirginibus illic ubi in hac uita pedibus peregrinauit, uenienti Domino clarifice sanctitatis oleo fraglante lampade cum ceteris sanctis in medio aere cum omni gaudio occurrerit, nos quippe, quod absit, ianuis clausis fuscatis lampadibus foras exclusi atque nequiter abiecti remaneamus et frustra introitum uite poscamus, qui aduentum Domini cum desidioso torpore segniter expectamus. Reminiscamur Domini nostri uerba dicentis: Ambulate dum Iucem habetis, ne tenebre uos conprehendant, et qui perseueraberit usque in finem, hic saluus erit. Quia qualis hinc quis egreditur, talis in iudicio presentatur, ut recipiat unusquisque secundum opera sua.

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5. So, dearest brothers, why do we not blush, we who enjoy strength of body and fullness of health, that a woman having followed the holy example of the patriarch Abraham,13 made her fragile feminine sex like iron in courage for the sake of the everlasting prize of eternal life? While she trod this world in the hardships of deprivation, in repose she has gained paradise in joyful glory. She who came from the furthest shore of the western ocean became known in the East. While she searched for a remedy for her soul, she offered to many souls a wonderful lesson in following God. Here she did not wish to have rest, so that she might arrive faithfully at eternal glory with the palm of victory. Here she exhausted her earthly body with an earthly burden, so that she might prepare for her heavenly Lord an innocent soul formed for heaven. Here she occupied herself in pilgrimage in voluntary freedom, so that she might inherit an ethereal kingdom in the choir of holy virgins with the glorious queen of heaven, Mary the mother of the Lord. 6. Meanwhile, beloved, we who have voluntarily pledged ourselves to serve the Lord faithfully in religious profession, even if we may not prevail in deserving the grace of the Lord in comparison with the merits of the indescribable example of such a woman, nevertheless, because there are many ways of merit that lead to the one home of the kingdom of heaven, and insofar as, with God’s help, virtue exists in labours, in vigils, in fastings14 and frequent prayers, and the various exercises prescribed by our rule, so we must prepare ourselves day and night untiringly, abstaining from all illicit pleasures and worldly allures and various failings. This is lest, while we spend this short space of time negligently, then when she comes to the Lord with the holy virgins there where she journeyed on foot, with lamp burning with the bright oil15 of holiness she will meet him with all the holy ones in the middle of the air16 with all joy. We of course—God forbid!—with the doors closed and our lamps dark would remain shut outside and miserably rejected, and would ask in vain for the entry to life,17 we who feebly await the coming of the Lord with idle lethargy.18 Let us remember the words that our Lord said: Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness does not overtake you19 and Whoever shall persevere to the end will be saved.20 For in whatever state anyone is when departing here, so will they be presented at the Judgement, so that each may receive according to their works.

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Cf. Gen 12:1–4. Cf. 2 Cor 6:5. Cf. Mt 25:4. Cf. 1 Thes 4:17. Cf. Mt 25:11–12. Cf. Mt 25:5. Jn 12:35. Mt 10:22.

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Bibliography

Editions (in Chronological Order) Gamurrini, G. F., (1887) S. Hilarii tractatus de mysteriis et hymni et S. Silviae Aquitanae peregrinatio ad loca sancta [Biblioteca della Academia storico-giuridica 4], Rome. ——— (1888) ‘S. Silvae Aquitaine: Peregrinatio ad loca sancta’, Studi e documenti di storia e diretto 9, 97–147. Geyer, P., (1898) S. Silviae, quae fertur, peregrinatio ad loca sancta [CSEL 39, 35–101]. Franceschini, E., (1940) Aetheriae Peregrinatio ad loca sancta [Testi e documenti di storia et di letteratura latina medioevale 2], Padua. Pétré, H., (1948) Éthérie. Journal de voyage [SC 21], Paris. Franceschini, E., and R. Weber, (1965) Itinerarium Egeriae [CCSL 175, 27–90]. Maraval, P., (1982) Égérie. Journal de voyage (Itinéraire) [SC 296] Paris [repr. with additions and corrections 1997, 2002]. Arce, A., (1996) Itinerario de la Virgen Egeria (381–384) [2nd edn], Madrid. Brodersen, K., (2016) Aetheria/Egeria, Reise ins Heilige Land [Sammlung Tusculum], Berlin.

Fragments and Other Related Texts Alturo, J., (2005) ‘Deux nouveaux fragments de l’“Itinerarium Egeriae” du IXe–Xe siècle’, RB 115, 241–50. De Bruyne, D., (1909) ‘Nouveaux fragments de l’Itinerarium Eucheriae’, RB 26, 481–84. Peter the Deacon, Liber de locis sanctis (Weber 1965, CCSL 175, 91–103). Díaz y Díaz, M. C., (1982) ‘Lettre de Valérius du Bierzo sur la bienheureuse Égérie’, in Maraval (1982), 321–49.

English Translations Bernard, J. H., (1891) The Pilgrimage of S. Silvia of Aquitainia to the Holy Places circ. 385 a.d., London. Gingras, G. E., (1970) Egeria: Diary of a Pilgrimage [ACW 38], New York. McClure, M. L., and C. L. Feltoe, (1919) The Pilgrimage of Etheria, London/New York. McGowan, A., and P. F. Bradshaw, (2018) The Pilgrimage of Egeria: A New Translation of the Itinerarium Egeriae with Introduction and Commentary [Alcuin Club Collections 93], Collegeville. Wilkinson, J. (1999) Egeria’s Travels [3rd edn], Warminster.

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Comprehensive Bibliographies Devos, P., (1987) ‘Egeriana’, AnB 105, 159–66, 415–24; 109 (1991), 363–81; 112 (1994), 241–54. Janeras, S., (2003) ‘Bibliografia egeriana recent’, Revista Catalana de Teologia 28, 231–40, 507–10. ——— (2011) ‘Noves publicacions sobre Egèria’, Miscellània Litúrgica Catalana 19, 23–30. ——— (2018) ‘Nova bibliografia egeriana’, ibid. 43, 189–205. Starowieyski, M., (1979) ‘Bibliografia Egeriana’, Augustinianum 19, 297–318.

Select Secondary Literature Atti del Convegno Internazionale sulla Peregrinatio Egeriae nel centenario della pubblicazione del Codex Aretinus 405 …: Arezzo 23–25 ottobre 1987, Arezzo 1990. Bludau, A., (1927) Die Pilgerreise der Aetheria, Paderborn. Bastiaensen, A. A. R. (1962) Observations sur le vocabulaire liturgique dans l’Itinéraire d’Égerie [Latinitas Christianorum primaeva 17], Nijmegen. Blackman, D. R., and G. G. Betts, (1989) Concordantia in Itinerarium Egeriae, Hildesheim/ New York. Devos, P., (1967) ‘La date du voyage d’Égérie’, AnB 85, 165–94. Férotin, M., (1903) ‘Le véritable auteur de la “Peregrinatio Silviae”, la vierge espagnole Éthéria’, Revue des questions historiques 74, 367–97. Hertzenberg, M. J. B., (2015) Third Person Reference in Late Latin: Demonstratives, Definite Articles and Personal Pronouns in the Itinerarium Egeriae, Berlin/Boston. Hunt, E. D. (2000) ‘The Itinerary of Egeria’, in R. N. Swanson (ed.), The Holy Land, Holy Lands, and Christian Antiquity [Studies in Church History 36], 34–54. Kohler, C., (1884) ‘Note sur un manuscript de la Bibliothèque d’Arezzo’, Bibliothèque de l’École des Chartres 45, 141–51. Sivan, H., (1988) ‘Who Was Egeria? Piety and Pilgrimage in the Age of Gratian’, HTR 81, 59–72. Spitzer, L., (1949) ‘The Epic Style of the Pilgrim Aetheria’, Comparative Literature 1, 225–58. Swanson, D. C., (1966–67) ‘A Formal Analysis of Egeria’s (Silvia’s) Vocabulary’, Glotta 44, 177–254. Väänänen, V., (1987) Le journal-épître d’Égérie (Itinerarium Egeriae): Étude linguistique [Annales Academiae Scientiarum Fennicae, Ser. B, 230], Helsinki. Vermeer, G. F. M., (1965) Observations sur le vocabulaire de pèlerinage chez Égérie et chez Antonin de Plaisance [Latinitas Christianorum primaeva 19], Nijmegen. Weber, C., (1990) ‘Egeria’s Norman Homeland’, Harvard Studies in Classical Philology 92, 437–56.

Index of Biblical References

Genesis 11:3153 12:1–4115 12:151 14:17–1841 14:18–2041 14:1839 15:1845 19:20–2537 19:2637 2453 24:15–2051 2953 29:2–1055 31:1955 31:34–3555 36:3239 36:3937 45:10–47:699 46:2929 46:3427 47:6 27, 29 Exodus 1:1129 3:1–4:1815 3:5 21, 23, 99 3:1515 4:615 8:2227 9:2627 12:37–5029 12:3727 13:2029 13:21111 14:229 14:9–1029

15:22, 24 111 16:2–4111 16:13-1523 17:1–7 35, 100 17:6 19, 111 17:9–11113 19:2 15, 23 19:1817 24:9–1421 24:16–1715 24:16111 24:18 15, 111 32:1–4 15, 23, 111 32:17–1923 32:1919 32:2023 32:2723 33:22 17, 19 34:1–2819 40:1–3325 Numbers 9:1–525 10:12–12.1627 11:1–423 11:923 11:24–2523 11:3123 11:34 15; 25 20:1–13 35, 100 21:21–3539 21:2637 21:3337 22–2439 23:1439 23:2837

1 20

in d e x o f bibl i c al r e fe r e n c e s

Deuteronomy 2:24–3:1139 31:2433 31:3033 32:1–4333 32:49–5033 3335 33:133 34:4–5113 34:637 34:833 34:933 Joshua 3–433 19:2547 22:1033 Judges 11:1–12:743 1 Kings 17:143 17:1–643 18:4113 19:919 1 Chronicles 1:4339 2 Chronicles 5:1–7:997 Job 1:139 2:8104 42:1739 Psalms 78:12, 43 99 118:2665 Matthew 4:8113 5:1113 10:22115 17:1–4113 21:1–975 21:965 24:477

25:4115 25:5115 25:11–12115 26.14–15 34, 77 26:31–3579 26:4179 26.46–5679 26:67101 27:26101 Mark 1:799 14:3879 Luke 3:1699 2:22–38 26, 67 22:41 79, 101 24:50–5289 John 1:2799 3:2341 4:14111 11:17–3073 11:2073 12:173 12:35115 13:16–18:179 18:28–19:1681 19:3083 19:3883 20:19–2587 20:26–3187 Acts 1:9–1189 2:1–1289 2 Corinthians 6:5115 12:3 55, 59 1 Thessalonians 4:7115 Hebrews 11:937

Index of Modern Authors

Alturo, J.  105, 117 Bernard, J.H.  100, 117 Bludau, A.  118 Bradshaw, P.F.  7, 9, 11, 101, 117 Brodersen, K.  100, 101, 105, 117 De Bruyne, D.  104, 117 Díaz y Díaz, M.C.  107, 117 Devos, P.  11, 118 Férotin, M.  10, 118 Franceschini, E.  7, 101, 117 Gamurrini, G.F.  9, 10, 117

Geyer, P.  99, 100, 101, 117 Gingras, G.E.  10, 11, 99, 100, 101, 117 Kohler, C.  10, 118 Maraval, P.  99, 100, 101, 117 McGowan, A.  7, 9, 11, 101, 117 Pétré, H.  117 Sivan, H.  10, 118 Weber, C.  10, 118 Weber, R.  7, 9, 101, 117 Wilkinson, J.  99, 100, 101, 107, 117

Index of English Names of Persons and Places

Aaron  21, 23, 29 Abgar  45, 47, 49, 51 Abraham  41, 51, 53, 115 Aelia 31 Aenon 41 Ahab  19, 43 Alexandria  19, 31 Ananias  45, 47, 49 Anna 67 Antioch  11, 45, 57 Arabia  27, 29, 31, 33, 39, 105 Arcadius 10 Arezzo 9 Asia 59 Baal-zephon 29 Balaam 39 Balak 39 Bashan 37 Batanis  11, 47 Beten 47 Bethany 73 Bethlehem  65, 67, 85, 87, 100 Bethuel 53 Bierzo  10, 107, 109 Bithynia 57 Britain 10 Caiaphas 101 Canaan 33 Cappadocia 57 Carneas  39, 43 Carrhae  11, 51, 55 Chalcedon 57 Chaldeans 55 Charra  51, 53 Chedorlaomer 41

Cherith 43 Cilicia 57 Clysma 27 Coele-Syria 45 Constantine  63, 65, 67 Constantinople  9, 11, 45, 59 Corra 43 Corycus 57 Daphnae 99 Dead Sea  37, 39 Edessa  11, 45, 47 Edom 37 Egypt  10, 19, 25, 27, 29, 31, 97, 109, 111 Eleazar 51 Elijah  19, 43, 113 Eleona  67, 75, 77, 79, 85, 87, 89, 97 Epauleum 29 Ephesus 59 Etham 29 Euphemia 57 Euphrates, River  45 Eusebius 100 Exebon 37 Fadana 55 Faran 113 Flavius Rufinus  10 Fogor 37 France 10 Gad 33 Galatia 57 Galicia 10 Galla Placidia  10 Gaul 10

i n d e x o f e n g l i s h n am e s o f pe rso ns and place s

Gethsemane 79 Golgotha  63, 65, 67, 69, 73, 81, 97 Goshen  27, 29, 31, 99 Graves of Lust  15, 25 Helpidius  11, 51 Hermon, Mount  113 Hero/Heroopolis 29 Heshbon 37 Hierapolis 45 Hilary 9 Honorius 10 Horeb  19, 100 Idumaea 39 Isaac 53 Isauria 57 Italy 10 Jacob  53, 55, 99 Jephtha 43 Jericho  33, 37, 39, 113 Jerusalem  9–11, 31, 33, 39, 45, 57, 65, 67, 73, 87, 97 Job  39, 45, 104, 105 John the Apostle  59 John the Baptist  41, 43 John the Evangelist  83 Jordan, River  33, 37, 39, 41, 43 Joseph of Arimathea  83 Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary 67 Joseph, son of Jacob  29 Joshua  23, 33 Judas Iscariot  77 Laban  53, 55 Lazarium  67, 73, 85 Lazarus 73 Livias  33, 35, 37 Lot  37, 53 Magnus  47, 49 Manasseh 33 Mansocrenae 57 Marthana 57

Mary, mother of Jesus  67 Mary, sister of Lazarus  73 Melchizedek  39, 41, 43, 100 Mesopotamia  45, 47, 51, 53, 97 Migdol 29 Moab  33, 100 Monte Cassino  9, 104 Moses  passim Nahor 53 Nebo, Mount  33, 35, 113 Nile, River  29, 31 Nisibis  11, 55 Og 37 Olives, Mount of (see Eleona) Palestine  19, 31, 37 Parthenian Sea  19 Pelusium  31, 99 Peor 37 Persia/Persians  11, 47, 49, 55 Peter  9, 117 Phanuel 67 Pharan (see also Faran)  15, 25, 27 Phoenicia 43 Pi-hahiroth 29 Pithom 29 Pompeiopolis 57 Pontius Pilate  81 Rachel  53, 55 Rameses  27, 29, 31 Rebecca  51, 53 Red Sea  19, 27, 29 Reuben 33 Rhône, River  45 Rome 29 Safdra 37 Salem  39, 41 Salim 41 Sarah 53 Saracens  19, 29 Sedima 39 Segor 37 Seleucia 57

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in d e x o f e n g l i s h n am e s o f p e r s o n s an d place s

Sihon 37 Silvia 10 Simeon 67 Sinai  15, 17, 19, 23, 27, 31, 111, 113 Sion  65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 85, 87, 89, 91 Sodom/Sodomites  37, 41 Solomon  81, 97 Spain 10 Succoth 29 Syria  47, 97

Taurus, Mount  57 Terah  53, 55 Thecla 57 Thebes/Thebiad  31, 97, 109 Theodosius 10 Thomas  45, 47, 87 Tishbe 43 Toledo  9, 104

Tahpanhes 99 Tanis 99 Taphnis 99 Tarsus 57 Tathnis  31, 99

Valerius  10, 107, 109 Vierzo  10, 107

Uz 39

Zoan 99